The Blacklist revisited (Alice)
by Milena73
Summary: Hiatus story. Different version of the events so far with a different mystery and outcome. Several genres - from adventure to romance (NO Lizzington!), adding and subtracting storylines and characters, using some of the characters in a different way. I'm known to be a Ressler-fan, so there'll be a lot of Ressler. ;) - Final chapter is up now!
1. Episode 1 - Samuel Milhoan

_I know there are two other stories I haven't finished yet. But I was so disappointed by the second half of season 2 I simply had no idea how to go on._

 _Instead, I had the idea for this hiatus story. It developed during discussions about disappointing storylines, over and under used characters, and plot holes._

 _There will be 22 "episodes" (some of them divided into two parts due to their length), using elements and characters of the show to tell a different story with different pieces to a different mystery. In opposite to the show I'll tell you in the end what the mystery is about._

 _When scenes are unimportant to the main story or exactly like or slightly different from scenes in the show I'll summarize them. If you can't remember them, you'll have to watch them again. This will help you to get through the hiatus. ;) Some scenes are not part of the "episode" they appear in because I made 22 episodes from 44 but I needed some scenes from episodes I left out. Don't get confused with the show - it's something different that connects Red and Liz. Have fun! :)_

 _I'm not a native speaker and writing in your second language is a challenge. Be gentle with me. :)_

* * *

 **August, 2014, Lincoln, Nebraska**

When Sam woke up, he felt tired and weak. He could almost feel that life was leaving his body. With every breath he felt weaker. It seemed as if the walls had moved in a little tighter since the last time he had looked at them. He was still in that damn hospital. He never wanted to die in a hospital. The smell made him sick, and he hated the ugly colours. Getting struck by lightning would have been better than this. But he knew he was going to die here. Soon.

Then, he noticed he had a visitor sitting on a chair next to his bed. He almost didn't recognize him. But yes, it was really Raymond Reddington. It had been 24 years since they last saw each other.

Red who had waited patiently for his old friend to wake up smiled. "Hello, Sam. It's been far too long."

Sam smiled back and felt somehow relieved. "I'm so glad you could make it in time. I hope it isn't too dangerous for you."

"You said it was urgent." Sam was one of the very few people in the world Red would do everything for. He looked at him and shook his head, worried. "You look like hell."

"And you got old," Sam replied with a cheeky smile. "You lost your hair."

"Well, I guess that's just what happens when you get older." Red laughed, and Sam joined in before he had to cough.

A moment of silence followed before Red said, "So, the cancer. It came back."

Sam sighed. "It has spread everywhere. There's nothing they can do. I need you to... end it." He looked at him insistently.

 _Does he know what he is asking for?_ Red felt uncomfortable and swallowed hard. "I... I can't do that."

"They've given me six weeks," Sam explained to him. "For what? So I can lie here and watch them take me apart? I wish they'd said six hours. I told them; You can get rid of those damn machines. Go monitor somebody who actually has vital signs." He laughed and Red joined him but it didn't make him feel any better.

"I need you to do it for me," Sam begged him.

Red preferred not to answer. They both knew he would do it. Red had never shied away from difficult decisions or jobs. He had established a cold, dark side allowing him to do terrible things without feeling any regret.

Red took Sam's hand and held it tightly, thinking of all the wonderful things they had done together in their youth. Then, he changed the subject, "You said you wanted to tell me something important about Lizzie."

Sam coughed before he answered, "It's about her husband, Tom Keen. I think he works for someone. He came out of the blue, and he's asking too many questions about Lizzie and her childhood in particular. I tell you, something's wrong with that guy."

"What do you know about him?" Red asked.

"Not more than what I've already told you: teacher, fourth grade. Seems friendly and harmless, but there's something about him..." Sam wasn't sure how to give reasons for his hunch. "I need you to find out and protect her."

"You gave her an incredible gift, Sam. Taking her in and loving her as your own... You'll always be her father. I can only..." Red's voice broke and tears got into his eyes. He paused before he added, "I promise to keep her safe. I'll make her happy. It's what she deserves."

There was another moment of silence. Red tried to think of any old story, a memory they shared, but they had exchanged hundreds of letters in the past 24 years and there was nothing they hadn't told each other yet.

"She's gonna be heartbroken if she can't say goodbye," Red said, trying to make his old friend release him from the burden to end it for him.

But Sam shook his head. "I don't want her to see me like this."

Finally, Red got up and leaned forward. With a last look in Sam's eyes he pulled the cushion from under Sam's head and pressed it onto Sam's face until his old friend wasn't moving anymore.

* * *

When Tom arrived at the hospital about an hour later, he was told that he was too late.

* * *

"Mind if I sit?"

"No, go right ahead," Tom replied automatically before he looked up. A man, in his mid 50s or early 60s, sat down at the other side of the small table. Like Tom he had a paper cup with coffee in his hands. It was a lovely sunny afternoon in the park in front of the hospital.

"Visiting someone?" Tom asked politely.

"A friend," Red replied. "He died today. You?"

"I came here to see my father-in-law. But... I didn't get here in time." Tom sighed and watched people entering and leaving the hospital or buying coffee at the food truck.

"Oh, my." Red's face looked sad. "I'm terribly sorry. It's hard not to say goodbye."

The man seemed so open-hearted and empathic that Tom didn't feel uncomfortable when he told him, "I don't know what I'm gonna say to my wife. I've been sitting here, I don't know how long, trying to figure out how to tell her. She couldn't come right away, you know? She's right in the middle of graduating from Quantico."

"So she's becoming an FBI-agent," Red understood. Of course, it wasn't new to him.

"Yes." Tom wasn't sure whether he liked it. But Liz was certain that it was what she wanted to do. "My wife and her dad, they had something... He took her in when she was about three years old. She was a foundling, you know? He adopted her and raised her as a single parent. She's gonna be heartbroken." He himself wasn't that sad. He knew that Sam had never liked him, and his death might make things easier. He felt sorry for Liz, though.

"Yes." Red nodded. "It'll undoubtedly take some time. But I'm sure she'll be fine." His voice and his eyes got colder and colder when he went on.

Now, Tom wasn't sure anymore whether the stranger was really that friendly. _Has he just threatened me? Or is he just mad?_ "I hope you're right." He felt insecure and confused.

"I know who you are, Tom." Now Red got clear. "And whoever you work for and whatever your plans are, the day will come when you wish you had never agreed to do this job." He got up and walked away.

Tom sat at his place, puzzled, watched the stranger disappeared in the crowd. _Who the hell is he?_

* * *

 **About two weeks later**

Everyone had come to Sam's house for the funeral service. Friends, family, neighbours. Sam had been a popular guy.

Liz, who was grief-stricken and had cried all morning, couldn't stand having all these people around her. She sat in the kitchen with Tom and Sam's cousin June. Sam had moved from their old home to this newer district in Lincoln a few years ago. Liz was glad about it. Otherwise, every piece of furniture, every corner would have reminded her of her childhood.

"It's so sad that he's gone," Aunt June said with a deep sigh. "Now, no one is left. I wish we know what happened to Maryann."

Liz looked up in surprise. "Who is Maryann?"

"Ah, someone you don't know," Aunt June said with a wave of her hand. "Do you want another piece of cake?"

For Liz a single piece of cake had already been too much. "No, thanks." She gazed round her. "What am I going to do with the house?"

"We could move here," Tom suggested. He had never wanted to live in Nebraska, but after the stranger had threatened him it seemed like a good idea.

Liz had loved living here when she had been a child and a teenager. Now, she had different expectations and wishes. "I just graduated from Quantico, and I'm looking forward to my job at the Washington field office."

"There is an FBI-office in Lincoln, too," Tom said.

"I don't think there's much to do," Liz countered. _If I had wanted to stay in Nebraska, I could have stayed here!_

"But you would have more time for the baby," Tom insisted.

"I'm sure I'll have time for the baby in D.C., too."

Aunt June pricked her ears and looked curiously at Liz. "Are you pregnant?"

"No, I'm not. We're going to adopt a child." For the first time since she had heard of her father's death, Liz smiled. "Isn't that great?"

* * *

 **Two days later, Washington D.C.**

"I just can't believe he's gone." Liz was still sad. Returning home to D.C. from Nebraska seemed to be another step away from Sam. She huddled against Tom while they were sitting on the sofa in the living room. They had just moved to this house and everything still seemed new, not like a real home.

"It's different with you because you can trace your life up to this moment, you know? You have reliable records and..."

"You had your dad," Tom said and stroked her hair, trying to console her.

"Yeah, but I wish I knew who I really was. Where I was born, who my real parents are..." It felt to her as if she had a hole in the middle of her body, as if there was a missing piece. It drove her crazy that she couldn't remember anything, or at least, nothing in particular. No names or faces or a special event that would tie her to her past, her roots. There was only a faint memory of a fire.

"What did you bring from Lincoln?" Tom asked and looked at the box Liz had discovered in Sam's basement.

"Just a box with a few memories Sam stored for me."

Tom gave her one of his amiable smiles. "Show me."

"You really want to have a look at my old dolls?" Liz asked with a laugh.

"Why not? It's something like a record."

"Yeah." Now Liz looked sad again, but she opened the box and went through the contents. Some plush toys, dolls, drawings, books, pictures, a little box with "treasures"... She told him the story about each piece, and she thought to herself how lucky she was to have a husband who was so interested in her and her life.

* * *

 _Beta readers / support / bothered with questions about grammar: Ana, Umber (from AWWC), Melissa, kashi333, and theblacklister23. Many thanks to them. :)_


	2. Episode 2 - Ranko Zamani Pt1

**September, 2014, Washington D.C.**

 **Monday**

Red surrendered himself to the FBI and asked for Assistant Director Harold Cooper.

* * *

The first one notified wasn't Cooper, but Don who couldn't believe what he had been told. He had been chasing Raymond Reddington for five years - and now he simply walked into the building. After a short telephone conference with Cooper, Don headed from his office downstairs to the catacombs of FBI headquarters.

In the meantime, Red was having a bad time. The agents who had arrested him in the entrance hall brought him to a little, bleak, empty room in the basement and made him undress so they could check the known tattoos. The agent in charge even told him to drop his boxers.

"What are you going to do?" Red asked amused, trying to hide how uncomfortable he felt. "Check if there's a bomb in my viscera?"

This was the moment when Don entered the room. Red stood with his back facing him, naked except his underwear. Don noticed the scars on the back of the older man. It looked as if he had been in a fire some years ago.

So, there he stood, the man Don hated so much that he would have loved to kill him with his bare hands. But his sense of justice and humanity made him think that every prisoner had at least the right to some dignity.

"It's enough," Don said sharply. "Give him some clothes and get him ready to be transported to the Post Office."

"And who are you?" The agent in charge looked at him, displeased.

Red turned and smiled at Don when he recognized him. "He's my case agent. Hello, Donald. Long time, no see."

It was almost funny. Almost. Last time - the only time - they met, Don had pointed a gun to Red's head. Don's smile was strained when he showed his ID to the other agent. "Donald Ressler. I really am the case agent of Reddington. I'm taking it from here."

They brought blue overalls for Red, a pair of shoes without laces but hook-and-pile fasteners, and chains for the transport.

"Where's Cooper?" Red asked.

"You'll meet him soon," Don assured him. "But you can also tell me what you want."

"I don't want to tell you what I want," Red replied cheekily.

"Oh, why is that?"

"Because you don't like me." Red laughed about his own joke. He had not the slightest clue why the young agent was almost obsessive of hunting him down and killing him, but it was probably not a good idea to provoke him. "No. You just don't have the authority to make decisions. That's why I would like to talk to Agent Cooper."

* * *

Don had already been waiting for Harold Cooper in the parking lot when the latter arrived at the so-called Post Office, a black-site a few miles from FBI headquarters.

They shook hands and had a short glimpse at each other. They had never met before although they had known each other by name.

On the way to the Post Office Cooper had had a look at Don's résumé. It was the career of a Boy Scout. Degree from an expensive private high school with top marks, bachelor's degree in Justice, Law and Criminology from the School of Public Affairs, three years as an officer at the Metro Police, graduated from Quantico top of his class, two remarkable years as a junior agent in counterterrorism, and then assigned to the Reddington case in 2009. Okay, he hadn't been able to track Reddington down, but he wasn't the first agent who had failed to do so.

"Can you confirm it's actually him?" Cooper asked when they were walking towards the war room.

"It's him, alright. Prints match. Tattoos. He even volunteered classified details about a Brussels mission in '09."

"What happened in Brussels?"

"Sir? We tried to kill him, sir." _And failed. Because of me._ But Don didn't say this out loud.

"Do we have DNA for comparison?" Cooper asked.

"No. At the time Reddington was a Naval Intelligence Officer it wasn't common to have databases with the DNA-profiles of the Navy personnel," Don explained to him. Sometimes he couldn't believe that the agents back then had been able to solve a case without databases, DNA, computers, or cell phones.

They entered the war room. In the meantime, Red had been brought into a security box in the middle of the big hall, and he sat there patiently chained to a chair.

Cooper watched him over the monitor. "It really is him."

"Came in with a briefcase containing every alias he's ever used. Most of them we've never heard of." Don showed him the file. It would take days to track each of these names to see where Reddington might have been and when.

Cooper only had a quick glance at the file. "What does he want?"

"Don't know. He only wants to speak with you."

"He'll have to wait," Cooper decided. "I'll form a task force first and talk to some authorities. Call Lab Services. Have them fit him with an Alpha Chip RFID tag. Get all your files here and prepare a briefing for the team tomorrow morning."

Don nodded. "And what do I do with him in the meantime?"

Cooper shrugged with a grin. "A night in that box won't kill him."

* * *

"Where is Cooper?" Red asked when Don opened the box and entered, carrying a paper bag and a bundle of blankets.

"He was here, but he decided to talk to you tomorrow." Don didn't like this decision. What if Red surrendered to the FBI because he wanted to warn them about an imminent threat? He had liked Cooper at first glance, but now he wasn't so sure anymore.

"That's a mistake," Red said, displeased.

"If there's something urgent, you should tell me," Don tried to make him talk, but Red just smiled fatherly at him. "If something bad happens, it will be on Cooper not on you."

Don felt uncomfortable but, obviously, there was nothing he could do. "You have to stay in the box for the night." He put a thin mattress, a cushion, and a blanket on the bench made of steel. The box had a built-in toilet and a sink, as well as a small table and a chair.

"I also got you something to eat." Don took a plastic bottle with water, a sandwich and a newspaper from the paper bag and put them on the table.

Red was under the impression that it had been Cooper's decision to have him spend the night in the box, and that it was Donald's decision to give him at least a blanket and a sandwich. He could almost sense the inner struggle of the younger man, torn between hate and decency.

When Don opened the chains with which Red was tied to the chair, Red asked with an amiable smile, "Can I have a pen to do the crosswords?"

"Guess you know the rules," Don replied sharply. "I'll organize fresh clothes and the possibility of having a shower in the morning." He turned and left the box, then went over to the access case to shut the box.

"Thank you, Donald," Red said softly, but loud enough so Don could hear him.

* * *

Don quietly opened the door to his house but, of course, Madita was still up, watching TV in the living room.

"Hi." Don nodded while he took off his coat and his shoes and then walked over to the dining room with the open kitchen to get some water. He was also hungry and searched for something to eat in the fridge and in the oven, found a portion of lasagna and put it into the microwave to reheat it.

Both Mrs. Lowry and Madita were used to his irregular times of work. Mrs. Lowry mostly cooked something he could reheat.

"Bad day?" Madita came into the kitchen pretending she was only there to refill her glass. She was a classic beauty with long legs, a perfect body, an adorable face, and long, blond hair. It hadn't taken long until she had tried to hit on him.

Unfortunately, she was 19 and his au pair girl from Sweden. She was a serious temptation for him who had been alone for too long, but Don had made up his mind to overcome the temptation.

"Strange day." He sat down at the counter and began to eat the lasagna. "A criminal I've been tracking for five years turned himself in today."

"Wow!" Madita leaned against the counter striking a tantalising pose. "That's exciting. Why did he do that? Was he tired of running?" She was thrilled that he actually talked to her and even told her something about his work - something he had never done before. She liked him a lot, and she wished he would spend more time with her.

"We don't know yet, and I don't think he's tired of running. He has a plan." Yes, Don was sure that Reddington was up to something. He was far too clever to simply surrender himself to the FBI because he wanted to live in a cell at some black site. "Did Alice like the theatre?"

"Yes, she loved it." Madita started talking about the play they had watched that afternoon.

Don listened to her, but when he finished dinner, he put the plate into the dishwasher and wished Madita a good night before he went upstairs.

It was a big, two-storey house with the living room and the dining room downstairs; on the first floor Don and his daughter, Alice, had their rooms, while Madita and Mrs. Lowry, the housekeeper, lived on the second floor.

Don went quietly into Alice's bedroom, but she was already asleep. She mumbled something when he kissed her on the forehead, and turned to the other side without waking up. He sighed, wishing he had more time for her.

Then, he went over to his office to work out the briefing on Reddington.

* * *

 **Tuesday**

When finally all members of the new special task force had arrived at the war room of the Post Office, 18 people all together, Don began the briefing.

"Raymond 'Red' Reddington was born in 1954, the only son of Margaret and Richard Reddington. His father was a high-ranking Navy officer. Both parents are deceased. Reddington has a younger sister, Catherine, who was - or is - a forensic pathologist. She disappeared about half a year after her brother. It's possible that she joined him in the underground.

"Reddington graduated from law school with a bachelor's degree in 1974 before he attended Naval Academy. He graduated in 1979, top of his class. After that, he his career was fast tracked at the Office of Naval Intelligence, where he was part of some classified operations. His last rank was that of a Rear Admiral.

"Then, in 1990, Reddington came home from a covert mission in Europe to see his wife and daughter for Christmas. He never arrived. His abandoned car was found a few days later, not far from the weekend home of his best friend Gordon Mays in Maryland. Mays had been murdered in his weekend home. The bullet found in his body was traced to Reddington's service weapon. Obviously, Reddington killed his friend then disappeared from the face of the Earth.

"Until four years later when classified NOFORM documents started to show up in Maghreb, Islamabad, and Beijing. These leaks were traced to Reddington. This guy's an equal opportunity offender, a facilitator of sorts who's built an enterprise brokering deals for fellow criminals. He has no country. He has no political agenda. Reddington's only allegiance is to the highest bidder."

"They call him something in the papers," Agent Campbell said.

Don nodded. "The Concierge of Crime."

"Do you know how big his... empire is?" Cooper asked.

"No, sir," Don replied. "His activities are very difficult to trace because he is just the broker. The core of his business is information. We know he is involved in smuggling operations, the disappearance of high-value criminals, money laundering, and forgery. But it is difficult to actually tie him to concrete crimes - except the murder of Gordon Mays."

Cooper raised his eyebrows. "Fine. Let's hear what he has to say. Put him online," he told Agent Mooney, one of the technicians.

In the following conversation Red told them about Ranko Zamani. They immediately found out that Zamani was deceased.

"Then a dead man just stepped off United 283 from Munich to Dulles," Red remarked.

* * *

After hasty investigation they came to the conclusion that Reddington was right and Ranko Zamani was alive and in the country. Cooper had to give in and continued the conversation with Red.

"Now, I'll give you Zamani, but first..."

"No 'but first'," Cooper cut him short. "You don't decide anything."

"Agent Cooper, you have already wasted valuable time. I said I'll help you find Zamani and I will. But from this point forward there's one very important rule: I only speak with Elizabeth Keen."

Don and Cooper looked at each other in surprise. "Who the hell is Elizabeth Keen?"

"I knew he was up to something," Cooper said. "It would have been too easy if he had just turned himself in to help us capture some bad guys."

"Elizabeth Keen is a junior special agent," said Agent Mooney who, in the meantime, had searched for her name in the system. "She graduated from Quantico last month and is about to start working as a profiler at headquarters here in D.C. tomorrow."

"He must have a history with her," Don assumed.

"I want to know everything about her," Cooper told the team.

* * *

"I think I know what this is about," Don said after he had collected all information on Elizabeth Keen they had been able to find. "She's a foundling. She was found on December 25, 1990, by a Samuel Milhoan in Lincoln, Nebraska. That's three days after Reddington murdered Gordon Mays and disappeared."

"So, there might be a connection in the past between them?" Cooper asked.

"It's possible."

"Is there any report about the finding? Or about what she said when she was found?"

"She was too small to remember anything significant," Don said, studying the information in the file. "They suggested she was about two or three years old. Her birthday was estimated at April 2, 1988. And the only thing she could tell was that her name was Elizabeth. Everything else in her résumé is flawless and without any gaps. Samuel Milhoan adopted her, she grew up in Lincoln, studied psychology and criminology in Baltimore, was part of the Mobile Psych Emergency Unit of the Bureau in New York, until she went to Quantico. She is married to Tom Keen, Elementary School teacher, fourth grade. Nothing spectacular."

"Is it possible that she's Reddington's daughter?" Cooper speculated. "Or Mays's? Do we know why he killed Mays?"

"No, sir. There was no known motive," Don replied. "As I said, they were known as best friends. It was surprising to the agents back then that the bullet was traced to Reddington's service weapon. It's unclear what happened that night. The only thing that connected Reddington to the murder was the bullet - and the car."

"And what about this Samuel Milhoan?"

"Not a known contact of Reddington," Don said. "Milhoan was a graphic designer, and started working from home when he adopted Elizabeth. He died from cancer a month ago."

"Try to find out who she might be related to," Cooper told him. "Then get her here tomorrow morning. I want to see his reaction."

"Not today?" _Who the hell knows what Zamani will do in the meantime?_

"I can't decide that alone," Cooper explained to him, with a friendly smile, sensing the impatience of the younger man. "I have to talk to some authorities first."

* * *

"Is Cooper wasting more time?" Red asked when Don turned up with blankets and sandwiches again.

"You know how bureaucracy works," Don replied sarcastically. "But you'll get your way. The first thing I'm going to do tomorrow morning is to bring Elizabeth Keen to the Post Office."

"Fine." Red smiled like a cat that had just eaten a mouse. "But it could be too late by then. People are gonna die, Donald," he stressed and watched the young agent making the improvised bed.

"Why don't you just tell me what Zamani is up to?" Don suggested.

"I told you I only speak with Elizabeth Keen," Red insisted.

"Is she your daughter or is this just a trick to confuse us?" Don asked, but Red just smiled and refused to give him any answer.

* * *

 _Beta readers / support / bothered with questions about grammar: Ana, Melissa, Umber (from AWWC), and theblacklister23. Many thanks to them. :)_


	3. Episode 2 - Ranko Zamani Pt2

**Wednesday**

On her first day as a profiler at FBI headquarters Liz woke up too late and had to hurry. When she and Tom finally left the house, a black SUV stopped in front of it and a man got out. "Agent Keen?"

"Yes?" Another delay and she would never make it in time.

Don got closer and showed her his ID. "Donald Ressler, Washington field office. I need you to come with me right away."

Liz and Tom looked at each other in surprise. "Does the FBI escort every new agent to work at the first day?" Tom joked, but he felt distrustful. _Is this somehow connected to the stranger I met in front of the hospital?_

"At least, I won't be late for work," Liz said and walked towards Don. Her first impression of him was; uptight, dutiful, reliable but boring.

"Do you know Raymond Reddington?" Don asked when he was driving down the road towards the Post Office.

Liz had to think a moment before she remembered where she had heard that name before. "He's on the most wanted list."

"He surrendered himself to the FBI on Monday, and it turned out that he wants to speak only with you." Don had a brief glance at her. She seemed to be a nice girl, with her sweet face and blue eyes, and right now she looked honestly surprised.

"With me? Why is that?"

"We don't know. Perhaps you have an idea?"

"No. Absolutely not. I don't have a history with Reddington." Liz was stunned. Her first day and she was asked to speak with No. 4 on the most wanted list.

"What do you know about him?" Don tried to test her, but she obviously only knew what every FBI agent knew about Reddington.

He and Cooper had agreed not to ask her about her past. They wanted to see Red's and her reaction first. Instead, he just gave her some information about Reddington and about what had happened in the past two days.

"Ask him about Zamani," Don advised her. "We need to know what this guy is up to."

Liz nodded, still confused. "What is this place?" she asked when Don drove into the garage of a big building, tightly watched by surveillance cameras and armed guards. _This is definitely not FBI headquarters!_

Don told her about the history and usage of the Post Office while he was leading her to the war room where they met Cooper who shook hands with Liz.

"Did Agent Ressler tell you what this is about?"

Liz took a glimpse down the hall, to the box in which a man was sitting, chained to a chair. It reminded her of Hannibal Lector, and it made her shiver. "Yes, sir."

"Do you find it odd Reddington surrendered himself two days before you start working as a profiler?" Cooper asked.

Liz shrugged. "I think that suggests he was waiting for me."

"Why you? Specifically."

But she had not the slightest clue. "Because I'm new and he thinks I can be easily manipulated." It suggested itself. Why else he should be interested in her?

Don smiled about that answer. "Be careful. He seems friendly, but he's dangerous. And you are probably right that he is good at manipulating people."

"If you need anything, we are right here," Cooper added and opened the door for her. It was like sending a slave into the arena with a wild lion.

* * *

"Agent Keen, what a pleasure," Red said when they had finally sat face to face.

He was really acting as if they knew each other, but, to Liz, he wasn't familiar at all. "Well, I'm here."

"You got rid of your highlights," Red noticed, "you look much less Baltimore."

 _Has he been watching me for years?_ She felt uncomfortable. "Tell me about Zamani."

"Is a child really what you want?" he asked instead.

Liz stared at him, surprised and confused, didn't know how to respond. _How does he know that?_ "Why involve me? I'm nobody. It's my first day... There's nothing special about me."

"Oh, I think you're very special." Red put on a broad smile. When she didn't react he explained, "Agent Cooper wasted valuable time. So you have only two hours left to save the girl."

"Which girl?"

"The daughter of U.S. General Daniel Ryker. There'll be some kind of diversion, communications will be scrambled, and Zamani will grab the girl. If you don't move quickly, she will die. That's what I know."

"And I'm supposed to believe you?" Liz asked, trying not to show him how nervous she was.

"No, of course not." Red laughed. "I'm a criminal, and criminals are known to be notorious liars. On the other hand, why should I come here and tell you about Zamani if it wasn't true?" He smiled artfully. "You know, if anyone can give me a second chance, it's you. The two of us have overcome so much. I mean, look at you. Your parents were career criminals. And yet you are about to make a name for yourself-about to capture Ranko Zamani. I'm gonna make you famous, Lizzie."

* * *

"What did you tell him?" Liz asked out of breath when she came back to the war room. "Private things about my family?"

"Nothing," Don replied. "I told you he was the one who asked to speak with you. And the only possible connection we could find was your past. You were found only a few days after Reddington had murdered his best friend and disappeared. Maybe he knew you as a child. What do you know about your early childhood?"

"Nothing." Liz shook her head in despair. "But how could he know about Baltimore? Or that we are going to adopt a child?"

"The core of his business is information," Don explained patiently to her. "He had probably checked your background closely before he turned himself in. But now we have to go get the girl before Zamani does."

Liz agreed, "He's establishing value. - Can I have a minute? I have to cancel an appointment."

Don nodded, and Liz rushed into the hallway to call Tom and cancel the appointment for the adoption meeting.

* * *

On the way to the school Bethany Ryker was attending, Liz calmed down, and when they arrived, she had come to the conclusion that she was the right person to get Beth out of her classroom. She was the only woman, surrounded by heavily armed guards, accompanied by a senior agent who looked as if he was born an adult and married to his job.

"Let me handle this," she said sharply when Don was about to get out of the car, "and hold back the guys with the guns. We don't want to scare the kids."

Don stared at her in disapproval when she was walking into the building. Pretty cheeky for a junior agent on her first day! Maybe his first impression of her being nice had been wrong.

* * *

On their way back they were attacked on the bridge and little Beth was abducted.

* * *

"So, you are going to tell us now what Zamani is up to," Don said resolutely and lead Red into the war room where they had collected everything they knew about Zamani and General Ryker so far.

"I told you all I knew was that he was going to abduct the girl," Red insisted, but when he saw Liz he smiled. "But I might show you how to look at it differently."

"How should we look at it?" Liz asked in the knowledge that he would only speak with her. She had to take over the lead.

"Like a criminal. It might come to you easier than you think."

Following that, he gave her a lesson in "thinking like a criminal", and they were able to figure out that Zamani was going to detonate a bomb somewhere in D.C. using the General's daughter to settle the score.

Red told them about The Chemist and The Inkeeper, but when they asked him for the address he asked to stay at one of his favourite hotels in return.

* * *

While The Innkeeper was arrested and brought in for interrogation, Don escorted Red to the hotel the criminal had chosen, then set up surveillance. Although Red had an Alpha Chip in his shoulder, Don felt uncomfortable with bringing him to a hotel.

"Hey, live it up, pal. Soon as this is over, you're headed back to a black site." It was a childish remark, he knew that, but he felt angry at the development. Two days ago, Cooper had been fine with having Red sleep in a box tied to a chair, now he allowed him to stay at a luxurious hotel.

Red ignored the remark, just smiled, then had a conversation with the page-boy before he turned to Don. "Tip the gentleman, will you?"

 _Okay, I earned that_ , Don thought. Nevertheless, it increased his anger.

* * *

The Innkeeper gave in pretty soon so they could arrest The Chemist. In the meantime, Red was having an early dinner in his suite, watched by a still confused Liz in the room next door. When Don informed her that they had found The Chemist, she decided to go home.

Don gave her an angry look and was about to say something, but she was already out the door. _What the hell is she thinking?_ "Don't go too far," he said under his breath.

* * *

When Liz came home Zamani was there and injured Tom badly.

* * *

After Tom had been rushed to a hospital and was undergoing an immediate surgery Liz headed back to the hotel to talk to Reddington. When he didn't react as she wished, she took a pen and punched a hole in his carotid.

* * *

Don had left the hotel about an hour after Liz and had gone home. Then, he got a call that Zamani had been in the house of the Keens and had injured Liz' husband. When he had been on his way to the Keens' house, he got a call that Liz had injured Reddington. He decided to have a look at Red first to make sure he wouldn't disappear from the hospital.

Now, he was standing next to Red's hospital bed, feeling tired and confused. His impression of Liz wasn't that good anymore. An official review right on her first day. _Wow!_ And his impression of Red wasn't that bad anymore. Was he really just a good manipulator, a good actor, or was there a good side in him? But how did this good side correspond with the crimes he had committed?

"You were right about the pen," Red said with a smile. "Pens are definitely dangerous and can kill you."

"What happened?"

"Oh, she thought I was the one who sent Zamani into her house."

"Did you?"

Red still felt obligated to the rules of the Naval Academy and decided not to answer. Instead, he said, "I'm fine by the way, thanks. And I won't file charges against Agent Keen." He grinned before he said softly, "Go back home, Donald, and get some sleep."

Somehow he liked the young agent. Maybe because he reminded him of himself when he had been his age. Or maybe because Donald was like the son he never had.

* * *

When Liz came back home, the FBI was still there, processing evidence. When they left, she tried to clean up the blood but finally she gave up. She feared for Tom's life, she couldn't understand what had happened and why. Why did Reddington suddenly turn up, insisting on speaking with her?

She didn't understand herself. Why the hell did she injure him? It could be the end of her career before it had even started. Was Reddington right and her parents were criminals? Did she carry some kind of warrior gene? On the other hand, she had never reacted so aggressively before.

* * *

 **Thursday**

Of course, no one slept well that night. In the morning, Liz went to the hospital and begged Don to let her talk to Reddington. She had made up her mind that she had to take the situation as it was and fight herself through it.

Although she was under official review Don let her get in the hospital room, but Red was gone.

"I will initiate a track on the chip," Don said when he and Liz were heading downstairs. "You will go home and stay there until you are told otherwise. Am I clear?"

She knew she had gone too far, so she simply nodded. That night, when she couldn't sleep she read the notes about the Zamani case and noticed that it had been Don who shot the man that stood on the car, over her and ready to shoot her. Without Don she wouldn't have survived her first day as a field agent. She took it as a warning not to be so careless and arrogant anymore. Don was an experienced field agent and had all rights to be strict, even rude to her. And she should be thankful that he had saved her life.

"How is your husband?" Don asked, more friendly now.

"He was in surgery, and now he's in an induced coma," Liz told him, still upset and overwhelmed by the events. "It's uncertain if he's gonna be okay. It was horrifying when I got home last night. There was blood everywhere."

It was no reason to try to kill Reddington, but Don had seen how shaken up she was and felt sorry for her. And hadn't he been in a similar situation five years ago with the same feelings ever since?

"I'm sure he's gonna be okay." He smiled at her before he headed to his car to initiate the track.

* * *

While Liz was driving home and Don started to track Reddington down by using the GPS-signal of the Alpha Chip, Red met with Zamani.

"How did things go with Agent Keen?"

"Paid her a visit like you asked."

"And the husband?"

"Like you asked."

"Sorry it took two days longer. I thought they would move faster," Red apologized while they were walking through the park.

"Never mind," Zamani replied ironically, "it was fun hanging out next to an elementary school, waiting for the FBI to arrive."

They walked on and talked about Zamani's plan before they parted and went their own way.

Afterwards, Red called Liz and told her, "He is after children. I saw a stamp on the back of his hand. I think he's gonna bomb the D.C. Zoo. Get there. I'll send a friend to disarm the bomb."

 _Known ending of the case - disarming the bomb, saving the girl, arresting Red._

* * *

Cooper and Don were both aware of that Reddington knew hundreds of criminals. So they brought him back to the Post Office, and they sat down in Cooper's office.

"Who's the Ukrainian?" Cooper started the conversation.

"I won't tell you," Red replied. "He's an associate."

"Are there criminals out there who aren't your associates?" Don asked.

"You want to know if I'm willing to give you any names?" Red smiled broadly. "That's why we're all here, of course. My wish list. A list I've been cultivating for over 20 years. Politicians, hackers, spies... Let's call it the blacklist. That sounds exciting." He grinned before he started telling them his conditions and, again, he insisted on to speak only with Elizabeth Keen.

Cooper and Don looked at each other. Red was pretty arrogant, but this was probably part of his success.

"I've to talk to some authorities and see if I can cut you a deal," Cooper said. "In the meantime, you have the opportunity to visit one of our most beautiful black sites." He put on a mean grin.

"The next name on the list is an absolute snake," Red said, unimpressed, "a mass murderer. I'm sure you and the authorities are interested in capturing him. And you have to move quickly because he's planning an attack that might cost the lives of hundreds of people."

"I guess, you won't tell us his name or his plans until the terms of your deal are met," Cooper assumed, but Red just smiled. The question wasn't worth an answer.

* * *

Later that day, Liz started to clean up the house. It helped distract herself from her thoughts. The same thoughts, over and over again. Why Tom? Why did Reddington pick her? Did he know her parents?

When she couldn't clean the carpet she decided to remove it, and she discovered a hatch in the floor. In it she found a wooden box with a red star carved into the top. In the box there was money. A lot of money. And passports with Tom's picture. And at the bottom of the box a gun.

* * *

 _Beta readers / support / bothered with questions about grammar: Ana, Umber (from AWWC), Melissa, and theblacklister23. Many thanks to them. :)_


	4. Episode 3 - The Freelancer Pt1

**October, 2014**

 **Monday**

"You're gonna share an office with me," Don told Liz after he had shown her the rest of the Post Office. He opened the door to a small, dark office with two desks and many filing cabinets.

When she had applied for the job as a profiler at the Washington field office, Liz had pictured a nice, warm, friendly office at headquarters. The Post Office was the complete opposite of it, but she nodded and put her things on the empty desk.

"You know, this is only temporary," Don added and gave her a severe look. "You're still under official review because of attacking Reddington. But we have to wait and see what will happen whether he gets a deal or disappears in a black site forever."

"Does this deal include that he only speaks with me?" she asked, unsure if she really wanted it. Most of all, she wanted her life back as it had been before Reddington had turned up and before she had found the box.

"Yeah. That's why you're here." Don pointed at the filing cabinets. "This is everything we have on Reddington. Or, at least, everything you need to know at your level. Read it."

Again she nodded, feeling numb and as if she was right in the middle of a nightmare.

* * *

 **Tuesday**

When Liz got a call from the hospital that Tom had woken up from the coma, Don allowed her to go there.

She was glad that Tom was awake and seemed fine. But she couldn't stop thinking of the box under the floor. She planned to ask Tom about it, but instead kept her mouth shut. He was still so weak, and she was almost sure that Reddington somehow put the box there to set Tom up.

On the other hand, how much did she really know about Tom? They hadn't known each other for a long time before they got married. They had spent some time apart while she was at Quantico. Of course, he had told her about his parents who had died in a car crash some years ago, and she knew his brother Craig and his cousin Nicki.

Liz didn't like them. Craig was a strange guy, somehow sleazy and devious. Nicki, on the other hand, behaved more like an ex-girlfriend than a cousin.

Did Tom really work as a teacher when he left the house? What did he do when she wasn't home? Why did he suddenly want to move to Nebraska with her? Wasn't her marriage _too_ perfect although she had the sudden feeling that something was missing? Trust, knowing each other deeply, a deep bond, friendship?

Liz was aware it was difficult for her to develop a deep bond to someone because of that missing piece in her life. She never had a mother or had known a woman she would have had a motherly relationship to. She spent her life avoiding people, afraid of their dislike and disapproval. She was withdrawn, distrustful, sometimes displayed narcissistic behaviour, although her deepest wish was to have a family, a home, friends.

Until the moment she had found the box, she had thought that she could have all this with Tom. Now, she wasn't sure anymore. And it wasn't all because of the box.

* * *

"He wants immunity. He's willing to cooperate, give us names," Cooper tried to convince the "authorities" to grant Reddington a deal. But neither the director of the FBI nor the representatives of the Justice Department, with Diane Fowler in the lead, seemed interested.

"What about this Elizabeth Keen?" Diane asked. "He said her parents were criminals?"

"Yes, but she probably doesn't know anything about them. She was a foundling," Cooper explained to her. "If she has a history with Reddington, she won't be aware of it."

The discussion went on, and Cooper repeated, "I don't think you understand how the situation needs to be handled. Reddington has brokered some of the most comprehensive international criminal activities in the past 20 years. He has access to targets we don't know even exist. He's worth more as an informant than as a prisoner. He told us about an unknown mass murderer, but he won't tell us more until..."

"I don't think you understand," Diane cut him short, "you don't run criminal division of Main Justice. I do. The Attorney General is not going to accept a deal."

"I hope you understand," Cooper tried it again, "that..."

But Diane had made up her mind. "There is no deal. Am I clear?"

* * *

"I thought you should know that Reddington is back in town," Diane told Alan Fitch when they met in her office at the Justice Department later that day.

Fitch raised his eyebrows in surprise. "How is that?"

She explained the situation to him and ended with, "I turned the deal down."

Fitch pondered for a moment. "I think you should accept the deal. We need to know what he's up to, and we won't find out when he's at some black site from which he will simply disappear one day. His people will get him out sooner or later. And don't think he won't be able to escape. That would be a mistake."

"He will infiltrate the FBI, try to get at our intelligence, use our resources to wipe out his competition! Maybe he'll even attack us," Diane objected.

"Well, we'll have to monitor him closely," Fitch said. He got up. "Arrange to investigate him and this," he contemplated, "Elizabeth Keen and then jump at the chance to accept the deal."

* * *

"The DNA-results are in," Don said when he entered Cooper's office and closed the door behind him.

Cooper looked up curiously. "Are they related?"

"No, sir. Reddington's not Agent Keen's father or is related to her in any way. It was difficult to get Mays's DNA. We had to reopen old evidence boxes, but we finally managed to get a result. She isn't related to him, either."

Cooper closed the file in front of him and put it away, deep in thoughts. "Reddington said Keen's parents were criminals. Is it possible that they are in the system?"

"I can have a wider DNA-search ran and try to find relatives," Don said, "but, to be honest, I don't think it would be successful. Most DNA-databases were established after the time Keen was found and Reddington disappeared. If her parents are dead or never committed a crime they could be tied to, they are probably not in the system."

"Try it," Cooper decided. "Maybe we'll get that deal if we are able to find out what connects them."

* * *

 **Next week, Monday**

After spending some days in a cell on a Navy ship, Red was brought back to D.C.

Subjecting Reddington to a lie detector test turned out to be a waste of time because he never answered any of the questions with a clear yes or no.

"Have you ever been convicted of a crime?"

"Convicted? Not yet."

"Does Elizabeth Keen know why you surrendered yourself?"

"You are wasting valuable time."

Don, who stood in the observer room, shook his head. To his surprise he shared Red's opinion. They were just wasting time with discussions about deals, how Liz Keen might be connected to Red, or trying to make Red talk without granting him immunity. He wouldn't like to see Red walk, but he also knew that working with him was a chance to put away many bad guys, and it was a chance to learn something about Red and his empire.

"Before you surrendered to the FBI, did you have, or have you ever had personal contact with Elizabeth Keen?"

"You're asking the wrong questions." Red turned his head to the mirror, pretty sure that someone was watching them. "I'm trying to help you with a matter of urgency. It's your choice whether you listen or not, but there'll be an incident at 11 a.m. at the Decatur Industrial Park. I would send ambulances."

Don sighed. No one, who could authorize it, was here. "Then I'll authorize it myself," he said to himself and reached for his cell phone.

* * *

Of course, there was an incident at the Decatur Industrial Park, but when Cooper tried again to make Red tell them more about the train accident, Red, again, insisted on a deal.

* * *

 **Next week, Monday**

"We have a chance to catch a mass murderer," Cooper insisted in his next meeting with the "authorities". "We have to move _now_!"

"His lawyers drafted this?" Diane had read the terms of the deal in the meantime.

"No, he did," Cooper said. "Reddington represents himself in legal matters."

Diane guessed that this was a "good opportunity" to give in. She put on some show, acted as if she was concerned about Reddington's private security, Dembe and Luli Zeng, as well as about some other things.

"Elizabeth Keen is under official review because of attacking Reddington?" she asked.

"She believes it was him who sent Zamani into her house," Cooper explained to her.

"What if she is going to kill him one day?"

"I don't think there will be another incident," Cooper said, but they both knew that they were thinking the same: if she killed him, it would be one problem less.

"One condition," Diane said, "you bring in somebody I know and trust. Meera Malik, CIA. She can help navigate international waters."

"Fine." Cooper wasn't fine with this decision. It felt like having a spy in the task force, but it was better than wasting any more time.

* * *

 **Tuesday**

Finally, they were allowed to get Red out of the box, and he briefed them on The Freelancer.

"And how do we find him?" Cooper finally asked.

"You don't find him," Red replied, "I do."

"What? Are you two pen pals? You guys send each other coded e-mails?" By sounding naïve Don tried to find out more about how Red's business worked, and to his surprise Red even gave him an answer, "I don't have an e-mail or a phone or an address. I prefer to handle my businesses face to face."

"You met him," Liz understood.

"Once. I brokered a few jobs. He works through an intermediary. He might be for sale. Perhaps I should set a meeting." Red smiled. "But in this case, I'll have to make an exception and make a phone call."

"Then do that," Cooper said.

About ten minutes later, the meeting was set for the evening in Montreal. Red persuaded Liz to go with him, and a few organization details were discussed.

While Liz was trying to find out whether Red placed the box in her house, Cooper told Don to shadow Red to Montreal.

"I want complete surveillance," Cooper said. "That damn chip isn't implanted until tomorrow. We can't risk losing him. If you are under the impression that he's about to disappear, I want you to take him down!"

* * *

Liz and Red flew to Montreal together and took a cab to the restaurant where Red arranged to meet his contact.

Liz tried to avoid a conversation, feeling uncomfortable to be alone with him, although she had to admit that Reddington was a real gentleman and an interesting conversational partner. She came to the conclusion that he wasn't a psychopath. Somehow Reddington was still connected to his former life as a Naval Intelligence Officer. He wasn't faking emotions, like a psychopath would do, they were real. And he was completely aware of what he was doing, so he wasn't a sociopath, either.

"Tell me about your husband," Red suddenly said. "Does he know you as well as you know him?"

She didn't want to talk about Tom with him, but she tried not to show her anger. Instead, she tried to distract him from the question. "Your contact is late."

"Does he know about you as a child?"

"It's been 35 minutes."

"Does he know about the fire?"

Liz stared at him in surprise. "How do you know that there was a fire?" Aside from her name, the only thing she could remember about her early childhood was that there had been a fire somewhere, somehow. She had never told anyone about it other than Sam and Tom.

Outside, in the surveillance van, Don pricked his ears. The scars on Red's back were burning marks. Was it possible that he had saved Liz from a fire years ago? Was that the connection they were looking for? But why would he run when he saved a child from a fire? It would make him a hero, not a villain. And the murder of Gordon Mays hadn't been connected to a fire. Or were these two completely different events?

"Did you know my parents?" Liz tried to find out more when Red didn't answer her question about the incident.

But Red didn't answer that question, either. Instead, he called a waiter, had a short conversation in French, gave him something, and then got up. "Excuse me for a moment."

It was the alarm bell for Don because Liz simply stayed at the table instead of following Red downstairs. Together with the RCMP he went in the restaurant, tried to find Reddington, but he could only get hold of the waiter.

"Que vous a-t-il donné?" he asked him.

The waiter took a dollar bill out of his pocket. "Pourboire."

* * *

 _Beta readers / support / bothered with questions about grammar: Ana, Chase (from AWWC), Umber (from AWWC), Melissa, and theblacklister23. Many thanks to them. :)_


	5. Episode 3 - The Freelancer Pt2

"What the hell was that?" Liz was upset when she followed Don to the surveillance van. "You sold him out!"

Don was furious, "You let him go!"

"I let him go? Who notified RCMP? You compromised an asset!"

That was too much. Don turned, faced her, in rage. "You are a junior agent, only a few days on the job. You're only on this task force because Reddington insists on you. There's no other reason. I'm not your buddy, I'm not even your partner. I'm your supervisor because I'm the senior agent and the case agent on Reddington. And when I tell you that you're supposed to not to let him out of your sight-whatever happens and whatever he does-then, that's an order, not a debate or a good advice! Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir," she replied automatically. The next second she became angry about herself, followed by some swearwords which she didn't say out loud.

To their surprise Red was waiting for them in the surveillance van. Liz began to realize that she really had to learn a few things. About Red, about Don - who would think of him being hot-headed? - and about the job in general. Ressler wasn't much older than her, six or seven years, but these were exactly the number of years he had more experience in the field than her.

Red represented The Freelancer's next target, Floriana Campo, a human rights activist.

* * *

 **Wednesday**

While Red had an appointment at the hospital where the tracking chip was implanted, Don and Liz met Floriana Campo. The result of the conversation was that The Freelancer would most likely use a donation gala next week for his assassination attempt.

Back at the Post Office Don and Liz explained The Freelancer's possible plan to Cooper.

"The problem is that we don't know what The Freelancer looks like," Don said. "We can secure the event as much as we want, but it won't have any effect if we can't identify him."

"We have to get Reddington to the party," Liz added. "He's the only one who can tell us who The Freelancer is."

"Then, we have no other choice," Cooper replied. "Organize that. Fortunately, there will be enough time. In the meantime, say hello to our new team member, Meera Malik, CIA." He nodded to her.

They shook hands with her. "Well, then, let's bring you up to speed, shall we?" Don said friendly.

 _He's probably nice to her because she's an experienced agent_ , Liz thought. In the next moment she had to correct herself. Don had never been unfriendly to her other than the times she overestimated her authority, stabbed Red with a pen, or yelled at him because he did the job she was supposed to do. _What's wrong with me?_ she asked herself.

Meera seemed nice, but Liz wasn't able to build up an immediate relationship with her, unlike Don who showed her around and told her about the case. When Meera said something funny, he even laughed.

No, nothing was wrong with him. _She_ had been wrong about him. He took his work seriously, but he probably wasn't the boring, uptight guy she had thought he was. She wanted to be a profiler? Something was wrong with _her_!

* * *

"You all right?" Don asked when he entered their office later that day and saw Liz seated at her desk looking rather depressed.

"Not really," she admitted. "It's simply too much, I guess. Reddington, the task force, Tom..." _The box in the floor_ , she added in her thoughts, _being a complete failure as a profiler..._

"Heard he's better?" Don put a file into one of the cabinets. He leaned against it and looked at her. Her face looked tired and sad.

"Yes, he's going to be all right." Liz tried to cheer herself up and smiled at him. She had vowed to be nice to Don from now on and follow his lead.

"What's the fire Reddington asked you about?"

"I don't know." She shrugged. "The memories of my earliest childhood are very fuzzy. I can't even remember that I actually told somebody that my name was Lizzie. I have no recollection of my real parents, my birthday, how I got where I was found... I remember that there was a fire, but it's just a faint memory."

"There's a distinct possibility that Reddington saved you from that fire," Don told her. "When he surrendered himself, he had to change clothes, and I saw that half of his back must have been burnt at some point. As I've never heard of any event in which this could have happened, it is possible it was at the same time when you were found."

It was the first clue anyone had ever given her. Liz got excited. "Are there any contacts in Reddington's past that indicate he could have known my parents? Or Sam, my adoptive father?"

But Don shook his head. "I haven't found anything like that. Maybe he knew your adoptive father and we just can't find the link. Maybe he simply put you in front of anyone's doorstep in the hopes that that person would take you in. Maybe he wasn't the one who saved you but was simply there. We don't know that. Have you ever researched about cases with a fire around the time you were found?"

"Yes, I went through reports about incidents at that time, but I haven't found anything that match." She looked sad again, and he felt sorry for her.

Maybe it really was too much for her. She had no experience as a field agent, and suddenly she was working on a big case like this one. "How about showing me the results of what you have researched, and I will expand the search, hm?"

Liz realized that Don had a higher security clearance than her. Maybe the report she was looking for was classified for some reason. Yes, it was definitely better to have him as a friend!

* * *

 **Thursday**

"Daddy?"

Don looked up from his breakfast. He was already late, and if Alice was going to ask him something, it would be another day he was late for work. He pushed that thought aside. His daughter was more important than his job. "Yeah?"

"Grandpa and Grandma..." Alice hesitated. She looked scared.

"What's up, sweetie? Something wrong?"

When she didn't give a clear answer, he took her from her chair and put her on his lap. "Just tell me. You don't need to be afraid I would be angry." His tone was gentle, and he caressed her head.

She cuddled up to his chest. "They are... strange."

"Strange? What do you mean they are strange?" Alice's grandparents were a permanent pain in the ass for him, but until this moment Don had assumed that at least Alice liked them.

"They want me to wear strange things," she tried to explain to him what was going on without really knowing how to describe the situation. It was a very complex situation for a five-year-old. "And make me eat stuff I don't like and make me play with those dolls, and they don't even get my name right!"

Now, Don had a pretty good idea what she was talking about. "Yeah, that's really strange," he admitted. "So, you don't want to go there today?"

Alice shook her head insistently. "Not today and never again."

"Are you scared of them?" He sighed inwardly because he saw big trouble ahead.

She nodded, still looking scared. Obviously, she still was afraid that he would be angry or would insist that she had to see her grandparents.

"All right, sweetie," Don said, then kissed her on the forehead, "I'll tell them you won't come, okay?"

She sighed in relief before she asked anxiously, "Do I have to go next week?"

"You don't need to see them if you don't want to," he promised, although he knew this was going to be one hell of a ride.

* * *

 **Friday**

Liz opened the door for the carpet layers and showed them the way into the dining room. She had arrived at the decision not to talk to Tom about the box. She simply didn't want to know and still hoped that it had been Reddington who had placed the box there, although he had seemed honestly surprised when she had asked him about it.

Liz might tell herself that she had friends. But in fact, she hadn't any contact with friends from her school or university, or with colleagues from her time in New York. If Tom turned out to be different than she thought he was, she would be completely alone. This thought scared her to death.

She had put the box back into the hatch, and now she watched the carpet layers doing their job. Deep inside, she knew she was turning a blind eye. She knew that there was a possibility that the box belonged to Tom, and she knew that her marriage wasn't as good as she wanted it to be.

She was late for work that day, but she had told Don about this appointment in advance. And as dutiful as he was, he was almost never punctual in the morning.

After the carpet layers had finished their job Liz left the house to head to the Post Office. She didn't notice the blue sedan that was following her.

* * *

 **Next week, Wednesday**

Tom was glad when Liz picked him up from the hospital. It would take some time before he would be able to walk without being in pain, but it was much better to sit around at home than in a hospital.

Liz, however, had mixed feelings, and she was starting to doubt whether she was really able to ignore the box in the floor.

* * *

 **Friday**

Finally, the day of the donation gala had arrived, and Don, Liz and Meera met with Reddington and his private security, Dembe and Luli, in the parking lot of the Post Office. They were introduced to each other before they headed to New York together.

During the gala, it became clear that the FBI and Red's team were completely different from each other and would have some difficulties understanding each other.

After Red had identified The Freelancer, the team split up. Don and Meera hunted The Freelancer down and brought him into a room in the basement for interrogation. In the meantime, Liz saw Floriana Campo to her suite, anxious to make everything right this time.

But then, she made her next mistake by leaving the suite when one of the other agents in the corridor asked her something about security details. After that, she rushed to join Don and Meera, and she was already in the elevator when Don called to tell her that it had been Reddington who had hired The Freelancer.

* * *

"Why are you doing this, Raymond?" Floriana asked. "I offered to make you a partner. My people came to you about the shipping routes. You turned us down."

"I never liked you," Red replied, and his face expressed his disgust. "I began to detest you when I discovered your dirty, little liaison with Admiral Sterling."

Floriana laughed. "Is that what this is about? The past?"

"Have you ever spoken with Carla?" Red asked.

She looked at him in surprise. "The daughter? No. Why should I?"

"And Helen Younes?"

"I don't even know who that is."

Red was disappointed. He had hoped for some more information.

 _End of the scene and end of the case like on the show - Campo died and was exposed as the head of the Eberhardt Cartel, a human trafficking ring; the team was able to save a shipment of girls._

* * *

 **Saturday**

When they finally returned to D.C., it so happened that Don changed clothes in the basement of the Post Office together with Dembe, and he noticed the brand of the Eberhardt Cartel on Dembe's shoulder.

"How did you and Reddington get together?" he asked although he didn't expect any answer. Dembe hadn't spoken one word so far, not even when he helped them free the girls from the shipping container.

Dembe thought about Raymond's words that Don might be misguided but still a good guy. He had seen that Don had empathised with the girls and that his main interest was justice.

"My entire family was killed by the Mombasa Cartel in Sierra Leone when I was six years old," Dembe said. "All but me, and I was sold to the Eberhardt Cartel. I was fourteen when Raymond found me in the basement of a brothel in Nairobi, chained to a standpipe. They left me there to die when I got too old to be of any use for them."

Don stared at him, surprised that Dembe actually gave him an answer, shocked, but also thoughtful. _What does it make of you when something like that happens to you?_ "Did he adopt you somehow?"

Dembe nodded. "He took me, made me well, saw to my education."

"And now, he took vengeance for you?"

"That's not important to me because that was then," Dembe replied and packed his bag, "but he thinks differently."

Don watched him leaving the changing room. Something was wrong, but he wasn't sure what it was. Either Reddington had several different faces, or he missed something.

* * *

 _Beta readers / support / bothered with questions about grammar: Ana, Chase (from AWWC), Umber (from AWWC), and theblacklister23. Many thanks to them. :)_


	6. Episode 4 - Wujing

**End of October, 2014**

 **Tuesday**

Every day, whenever Liz was in the dining room, she was reminded of the box underneath the floor. Every thought about it produced a sudden drop in her mood. She found that something had changed in her: she was no longer able to lie to herself. Finally, she brought a bullet and a shell casing into the Ballistic Lab at FBI headquarters.

Later, Red told her about Wujing, and the team prepared the mission.

* * *

 **Wednesday**

The Wujing case. _(No essential changes.)_

* * *

Even when the mission was over; Liz was still shocked that Red shot the technician right in front of her. Of course, he was about to expose her, but she had empathized with him somehow. Most of all, the incident had shown her how dangerous Reddington really was.

"What did Wujing give you?" She had seen Wujing gave Red an envelope before things went out of control down there.

"My payment," Red replied with a smile.

"So he gave you money?"

"Not directly." He wasn't willing to tell her that he asked Wujing to identify a young female spy who had been following him for a while. She had disappeared when he noticed her. He had given Wujing surveillance footage of her, and he had identified her as Lucy Brooks, but apparently she was dead. Something Red wasn't quite sure about.

"You owe me an answer," Liz said.

He laughed. "About my payments?"

"No. Why you chose me," she insisted.

"Because of the night we met."

Liz found herself torn between excitement and an undefined disappointment. Was Red, of all people in the world, really the only one who could tell her who she really was? "The night of the fire? What happened back then?"

"I won't answer any of your questions for as long as your husband is still in your life." His eyes were repelling, and his face looked serious.

She slashed an angry glance at him. "What am I supposed to do, in your opinion? Seek a divorce? Shoot him?"

"There's a thought." His smile was cold.

Liz was shocked and became even angrier. "You act like we're the same. You're wrong. I have a life, people who care about me. But you... This is all you have."

Red knew she was wrong. He had friends, loyal friends, while she was alone. He guessed that this was the main problem. If she had some friends, it would be easier to convince her that there was something wrong with Tom. "I have you," he claimed.

Liz looked at him in disgust. _He is so sick and twisted_ , she thought, and she hurried to get out of the car.

* * *

While they were processing evidence at the building site Meera noticed that Don was pretty shaken up although he had stated he was fine. "We are almost done here," she said. "How about going for a drink?"

Don thought about it for a second. His head hurt and his knees still felt weak. If he went home now, he would probably just scare Alice. So, he agreed.

"Liz isn't quite equipped for that job, is she?" Meera asked when they were sipping their drinks in a nearby bar a while later.

"No. But she's pretty young and pretty new. She was thrown into deep water without any warning, and now she has to learn to swim quickly." Now that the shock was easing away slowly, Don was in the mood to give Liz a new chance. There was something about her that he liked. "I think we're expecting too much from her."

"Do you think she knows why Reddington picked her?"

"We can't be sure, but I don't think so," Don replied. "I think the connection has to do with the past, and as she was a toddler back then she isn't aware of it. I do believe that she can't remember anything before she was found. I mean, do you remember what you did when you were two or three years old?"

"Only what I was told," Meera laughed. "You know, all these awful stories your parents use to tell everyone."

"Yeah." Don's smile was strained. His parents had never told anyone any awful stories about his childhood. Not because there weren't any stories to tell, but because no one had ever been interested; neither had his parents bothered to tell any stories.

"My father is a pharmacist," Meera told him, "and he used to collect medical plants. Some of them are toxic and have to be handled with care. He taught me everything about it when I was a little girl. One day, in one of his expeditions, he was collecting mushrooms a few steps away from me while I was picking the fruits of the belladonna. A man came by, and all he could see was, perhaps, a five-year-old girl picking toxic berries. He was shocked and told me, 'Don't touch them. They are toxic.' I just shrugged and said, 'I know.' My father tells this story at every family meeting. He loved that the man was terrified of me because I looked like a little, mean witch or like a wife who has just poisoned the coffee of her husband and he notices the strange taste."

Don grinned. "Have you ever poisoned a man's coffee?"

She grinned, too. "No. All men seem to sense that I'm dangerous, and avoid having coffee with me."

* * *

On her way home from university in Georgetown, a young woman was abducted by two men with masks over their faces. They took her, threw her into a black van and drove off.

* * *

 **Thursday**

Before Liz left for work this morning, Tom tried convincing her again to move to Lincoln with him, an idea she still didn't like. They argued until Ellie, a colleague and friend of Tom, came by.

Later that day, when Tom and Ellie left the house to go for a walk, the man with the apple and his helpers made their way into the house to install cameras.

* * *

"You okay?" Liz asked when Don entered their office, noticing the bruise on his left temple.

"I'll live," he replied with a smile and sat down at his desk. "You did good work yesterday. If you didn't get that message out, Henry Cho wouldn't be alive."

"Thanks." Liz pondered whether she should tell him that Reddington had been the one who had killed the technician. But Red probably expected her to keep her mouth shut.

There was a moment of silence while Don was checking his e-mails.

"I went through any available report about incidents with a fire in December 1990 in every state," he told her, "But there wasn't anything that fits."

"That's odd." She was chewing at the end of her pen. "Maybe it didn't happen in the States? Somewhere overseas?"

"Or it wasn't reported," Don said. "But I'm sure we'll find out sooner or later." He smiled at her to give her some hope, but, again, she was in that black pit that seemed to consume her. There was no way out. Red was probably the only one who could tell her what had happened that night. He wouldn't tell her unless Tom was gone. And she wasn't sure whether she wanted Tom gone.

* * *

Later that day, Liz received the ballistics report, but all she could read from it was that there was a match. Everything else was classified and unreadable for her.

Don, however, got the full report and went to Cooper to tell him about it.

"I put a flag on Liz Keen," he said. "Any tests, reports, or files anything she requests gets sent to me first. She put a bullet and a shell casing into Ballistics. At her level, the results were classified, but that's the full report." He showed him the ballistics report.

"An open homicide?" Cooper was surprised. "What's the case about?"

"That's the case file." Don had pulled it from the archive. "An FSB agent who was about to defect to the U.S., Viktor Fokin, was shot and killed in a hotel in Boston. And do you know who this is?" He pointed at a man in one of the surveillance pictures.

"Are you going to tell me, or do I have to guess?" Cooper asked with a smile.

"That's Tom Keen, the husband."

"Are you sure?" Cooper had only seen a picture of Tom once when they had checked his background.

"I saw him the day I met Agent Keen at her home." Don felt somehow betrayed. He was trying to give her a chance, make it as easy as possible for her, and now she brought in a bullet that was connected to an open homicide in which her husband might be involved.

"Maybe we should interrogate her," Cooper thought out loud. "Or simply bring the husband in."

"What if Reddington is just trying to confuse us by insisting on speaking with her and this is actually all about Tom Keen?" Don suggested. "When we ask her about the gun, which she might have found among his things while he was in hospital, we might spook this guy."

Cooper thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "You are right. We have no idea who is hiding what, or who is up to whatever. Run a new background check on Tom Keen, try to find out more about him," he told him before he changed the subject, "Anything new on Reddington's empire?"

"He has been to some strange places." Don had monitored Red's movements closely since they were able to track him via the chip. "But we couldn't find out what he was doing there. Of course, I'll keep an eye on him."

* * *

When Liz came home that night she stumbled right into a welcome back party for Tom. She had to realize that everyone was there for Tom, not for her. If she lost him, she really would be alone.

* * *

 _Beta readers / support / bothered with questions about grammar: Ana, Umber (from AWWC) and theblacklister23. Many thanks to them. :)_


	7. Episode 5 - The Courier

**November, 2014**

 **Monday**

Liz tried to find out more about the case the bullet was connected to and went to the evidence locker at FBI headquarters. But before she could have a closer look at the evidence box, the agent at the counter was aware she had no clearance to be there.

The only thing she could find out was the date of the murder and that it happened at the Angel Station Hotel in Boston. While she was heading to the Post Office, she remembered that she and Tom had been in Boston that weekend. _Oh my God, is he really involved?_

"You're late," Don remarked when she entered their office.

 _As if you are never late_ , she thought. "Yeah, I'm..." She was about to make an excuse when she noticed the way he looked at her. She stared in his blue-green eyes - _intriguing, beautiful_ , she thought, _he's like a chameleon or a unicorn_ \- and she suddenly realized that he knew. Of course, she had gotten the classified report, while he had gotten the full report.

"I..." Liz hesitated. She stood next to Don's desk, stared at his coffee mug with a happily grinning and dancing dinosaur printed on it - _who the hell dares to give a man like him a childish mug like that as a present?_ \- and didn't know what to say. In fact, the only reason she hadn't reported the finding of the box was because she didn't want to believe that Tom put it there.

Don didn't need to be a profiler to know what she was thinking. "Look," he said, "it's quite simple. You tell me about the bullet, I tell you about the report and the case."

 _He pulled the file!_ Liz went pale and felt uncomfortable. "I... It's...," she stammered, "I thought Reddington might be involved in this somehow and I wanted to see..." Her voice broke, and she looked at him in despair.

Then, her cell phone vibrated, and when she looked at the display she sighed. "Speaking of the devil, it's the devil."

* * *

Red told Liz about The Courier who was about to deliver a package to an Iranian spy the next day. When he asked her about Tom, she told him about the murder at the Angel Station Hotel in Boston when she and Tom were there, and that she wasn't able to read the file.

"Do you want me to help you get that case file?" Red asked.

"I could simply ask Ressler," she said. "But..."

"He will probably bring Tom in." Red nodded, and thought that this wouldn't be the worst case.

"I want to know first," Liz tried to explain her thoughts and feelings, but she didn't know how. "I want to know how this might be connected before..."

"...you have to accept that he isn't who you think he his?" Red asked and raised an eyebrow.

Liz preferred not to answer. Somewhere, deep in her heart, she knew that Tom was involved in the murder.

* * *

 **Tuesday**

They were able to arrest The Courier, but they couldn't make him talk because he was unable to feel physical pain.

A doctor was called to remove a microchip hidden inside the knife wound in The Courier's chest. On the chip was footage for a ransom demand for the young NSA agent Seth Nelson who had been kidnapped and was held prisoner in a cabin somewhere in the woods.*)

When Liz couldn't reach Red, she tracked him via the GPS chip in his neck to a house in Bethesda. She was stunned when she walked right into a little factory for fake money.**)

"Molly!" Red exclaimed. "What are you doing here? You're a little early. We're not ready yet." He turned to Mary. "One of our most trusted couriers. Please excuse us."

"You have a suburban housewife printing fake money in her garage?" Liz asked in disbelief when they left the house. Was she supposed to tell Don something like that?

"Mary is an artist," Red explained to her as if it was an excuse. "She has a tremendous gift. Well, why are you here, Lizzie?"

"We need your help to find a lead on The Courier. A safe house, a name, anything."

* * *

 **Wednesday**

With Red's help they were able to find The Courier's safe house.

Red identified Florence Dechambeau as the seller and suggested to meet with her, but they decided to send in Don as The Courier.

When Don made his way into Dechaumbeau's night club and Meera made a remark about how hot he looked, Liz felt somehow choked.

 _How can she tell him that he looks hot?_ she thought. _But, hell yes, he looks hot._ Liz realized that wearing a suit and tie made him look so uptight. In this casual wear and with this different hair style he looked hot. He was good-looking anyway. No, in fact, he was beautiful. Unfortunately, the Bureau had a dress code (or at least expected appropriate clothes) so she wouldn't see him often in casual wear.

 _What's wrong with me?_ she asked herself a moment later. _I'm doubting my husband, I'm questioning my marriage, and now I think that my colleague's ass looks pretty sexy in those tight jeans?_

It was even worse. She would have loved it to put her hands on it, and she was jealous because Meera could probably hit on him without any consequences. Liz didn't think either of them was in a committed relationship.

The past three years, there had only been Tom. Had it all been about chemical attraction that was slowly easing away and had no substance at all?

* * *

In the end, they had to rely on Red to make Dechambeau talk.

"I'll get you out of the country and guarantee your safety," Red offered her. "There's a private jet awaiting your arrival right now. In exchange you'll tell me everything you know about Helen Younes and give me the location where you dropped the kid off last night."

"Helen Younes?" Florence asked in surprise. "I haven't heard that name in ages. She disappeared years ago. 20 years? Maybe more. She's a myth."

"What was her speciality?"

Florence shrugged. "She was somehow in the spy business. But I don't know any of her jobs. And about that kid-he's worth 20 million."

Finally, Red was able to make Florence give him the location where she dropped off Seth Nelson.

* * *

 **Thursday**

In the meantime, Don and Meera tracked The Courier down. Unfortunately, he was injured so badly that he died.

"So, you think it's hot when a doorman gets hurt?" Don asked amused when they were on their way back to the Post Office.

"Yup." Meera smiled. "Especially when you're wearing tight pants."

Don laughed. It was the first time for a long, long time a woman told him he was hot. He was in the mood for a little adventure. "Maybe I should wear them more often. My daughter keeps saying that I look pinched and uptight in suits and ties." By mentioning his daughter, he tried to find out whether it would bother Meera he wasn't alone.

"She's right," Meera laughed. "I have a daughter, too. Her name is Leela and she's six. Yours?"

"Alice, and it's her fifth birthday today. I've to get home somehow," he said, glancing at his watch. It was four o'clock in the morning. "Otherwise, she will be sad for days. I raise her as a single parent, you know?"

"Me, too," she said. "Leela lives with my parents. It's easier because of my work schedule."

"I employ a housekeeper and an au pair girl."

Meera sighed, "I wish I had more time for her. How about meeting for an afternoon with the kids?" she suggested.

* * *

Almost at the same time, Red, Liz and Dembe were able to find Seth Nelson and freed him.

Liz was angry when Red was about to use Seth's wish to repay them. "Don't even think about it!"

"What? The boy wishes to express gratitude. I'm merely playing my part in the ritual. So should you. We could ask him about the murder at the Angel Station Hotel," Red suggested.

Liz shook her head. "I'll ask Ressler."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes." She had made up her mind. It was better to face the consequences than to continue doubting Tom.

* * *

At about 6 a.m. Liz and Don met in their office. She was still pondering whether she should really ask him to investigate Tom. "About..." She hesitated.

Don was in a hurry, but he looked up. "Yeah?"

"That story you told Dechambeau," Liz said, "about your job being the only thing left, that was..."

"I was undercover. Said what I had to say to sell it." He shrugged and went on packing his things. He could still make it home before Alice woke up.

Liz wasn't sure whether she should believe him. There was something about him, something tragic and strained. She hoped she would find out one day. "About..." Again she hesitated.

"Yeah?"

 _One last weekend with Tom_ , she thought, _it might be the last one._ "I was thinking about Reddington," she said. "Do you think it's possible he's my father?"

Don stuffed his keys into his pocket. "We ran an unofficial DNA-test, and no, he's not related to you."

Liz became angry. "Why wasn't I asked?"

"Did you really think we wouldn't try to find out how you two are connected?" Don asked. "That we wouldn't check who you are and what you are doing? If there's something wrong with your husband, maybe?"

She stared at him, equally angry and thankful that he smoothed the way for her. "Monday," she said. "Give me one last weekend," she begged.

Don raised an eyebrow. But he was already late. He decided it was more important to be with his daughter. "Fine," he said, "Monday."

* * *

 **Friday**

Instead of asking Seth Nelson for the file about the murder at the Angel Station Hotel in Boston, Red asked him for a classified CIA-file about a Joseph McCray.

* * *

 **Saturday**

"This is a nice house," Meera said when she entered the hall with Leela. It wasn't exactly her cup of tea, but it was a remarkably friendly house.

Alice had already had a birthday party on Thursday, but not everyone important to her could come. Hence, they had another party today.

Don introduced Leela, who looked like a younger version of her mother, to Alice and two of her friends. Luckily, Alice was a sociable child so she involved Leela in the game they were playing immediately.

"I could show you the rest of the house," Don said to Meera. Madita stayed with the girls so nothing could happen to them.

Meera smiled. "That would be nice."

They went upstairs.

"My office," Don said loud enough to be heard downstairs. Instead, he opened the door to his bedroom.

As soon as they slipped inside they started kissing each other, wildly, took off their clothes. The desire to be with someone, anyone, had been obvious to both of them, so they didn't need to explain anything.

Don was about to push Meera on his bed when they heard Leela shouting, "Moooom!"

They stopped, looked at each other, and started laughing.

"I'm coming!" Meera shouted back and put her blouse back on. "I'm afraid this isn't a really good idea," she said to Don, but she smiled.

He agreed, "No, unfortunately not." It had only been sexual anyway. He liked her, but he knew she would be the wrong person for a committed relationship.

"It has been far too long since my boyfriend left me. There's the job, Leela, thousands of other things. I simply don't have time for a relationship or even an affair." Meera straightened her clothes and fixed her hair.

"Same here," Don said as he fastened his belt.

"You could have an affair with Madita," she said with a smile when they left the bedroom. "She was pretty jealous when we went upstairs."

"The last thing I need is an affair with a nineteen-year-old au pair girl," Don replied softly so Madita couldn't hear him. "It would just complicate things."

"Probably," Meera agreed. She stopped at the stairs and turned to him. "Friends and colleagues?" She offered him her hand, and he shook it. "Friends and colleagues."

* * *

 _*) The story with the old fridge in the ground might be dramatic and great, but the timeline sucked. Therefore, I changed it. ;)_

 _**) I loved the story about Mary, but as I've no use for General Ludd I placed her here. And don't you worry, I haven't forgotten The Stewmaker. I just placed him somewhere else._

* * *

 _Beta readers / support / bothered with questions about grammar: Ana, Umber (from AWWC) and theblacklister23. Many thanks to them. :)_


	8. Episode 6 - Gina Zanetakos

**November, 2014**

 **Monday**

"Okay," Liz said when she entered her and Don's office on Monday morning. Contrary to her hopes, the weekend hadn't been fine. She simply couldn't do anything with Tom without thinking about the box underneath the floor. They had argued over her job again, and she couldn't stop wondering if they really loved each other.

She leaned against Don's desk and took a deep breath. "After Zamani hurt Tom, I tried to clean up the blood but it didn't work. So I removed the carpet and found a hatch in the floor. Inside the hatch was a wooden box, and inside the box was a lot of money, foreign passports with Tom's picture, and the gun. I thought that Reddington had something to do with it so I... I simply can't believe my husband is involved in a crime."

Don could see she was desperate, and he felt sorry for her. Nevertheless, he raised an eyebrow and gave her a severe look. "But it's been a while since you discovered that box."

"Yeah, I know, but... Look, this March we'll have been married for two years. Last summer marked three years since we knew each other, and I never, absolutely never, was under the impression Tom could do anything bad. He teaches fourth grade! He's a good guy. I feel it." _Do I really feel it?_ she asked herself. _Do I believe myself?_

 _Most of all, you love him, and love makes you blind_ , Don thought. "You have doubts, though. That's why you brought the bullet and the shell casing into Ballistics."

"I was hoping it might connect Reddington to the box. That he put it there to frame my husband."

"Well, I'm sorry, but the only one connected to the box is your husband." Don unlocked a drawer of his desk and gave her the classified case file. "The gun was used in a homicide at the Angel Station Hotel in Boston in June 2012. The guy murdered was a Russian FSB agent, Viktor Fokin. He was about to defect to the U.S. and, obviously, someone didn't want him to talk. And when you look at the pictures of the surveillance camera across the hotel you will see a possible suspect."

Liz opened the file and read the reports before she had a look at the pictures. It felt as if her heart skipped a beat when she recognized Tom. "We were in Boston that weekend," she whispered. "He supposedly had a job interview there." She looked up. "Why didn't you bring him in for interrogation?"

"Like you, I don't have the slightest clue what all this might mean," Don replied. "Maybe Reddington is involved. Maybe he chose you because your husband is his target. And I certainly didn't know how you got that bullet."

She heard the criticism in his voice. "I should have told you right away." She nodded, feeling stupid and guilty.

"At least before you brought the bullet into Ballistics," he said in a friendly tone, but his smile was strained. "Now, we don't have any other choice than to bring him in for interrogation."

* * *

In the afternoon, they went to the Keens' house. Again, Don wondered how they could afford all this. The big townhouse was rented, he had checked that, for more than 3,000 $ per month. Of course, both of them worked, but when he saw the expensive furniture he wondered how they bought it because there weren't any loans in their names.

"You want to drink anything?" Liz asked nervously. She had never thought she would arrest her own husband.

"No, thanks, just show me the box."

A little later Tom came home. "Lizzie!" He smiled happily about the fact that she was home that early and was waiting for him.

But she looked serious and nodded to Don. "Special Agent Donald Ressler. We work together. My husband, Tom Keen."

"Nice to meet you," Tom said, wanting to shake hands with Don, but the agent didn't move.

"We have to talk, Tom." Liz pointed to the box.

"What's that?" Tom asked surprised.

"That box was in a hatch in the floor," she showed him. "I found it when I was cleaning up your blood." She showed him the contents of the box.

"That was weeks ago. What else are you not telling me?"

Liz had expected anything, but not a reaction like this one. She stared at him in surprise and anger. "What am _I_ not telling you?"

Don wasn't sure whether Tom was just a good actor or he really saw the box for the first time. He wasn't sure whether he liked him. There was something wrong about him, but Don wouldn't be able to give reasons for his hunch.

"What the hell is this? And why is it in our house? I mean, there's a gun in here..."

"Don't touch it!" Don stepped in, but it was too late.

Tom dropped the gun and now was going through the contents. "There are passports with my face on it..."

"I told you not to touch it." Don closed the box. Inwardly, he groaned and was angry at himself. He should have put everything into evidence bags before they showed the box to Tom. _What a stupid mistake!_ Now they wouldn't be able to tell if Tom had touched the things before.

"Are you serious about this?" Tom asked his wife aggressively. "You are accusing me of having a box like this in our house? And instead of talking to me after you found it, you come here with your colleague to interrogate me? You know what? It's your job. Anything that is evil or bad it comes from what you do, not what I do. Because of your job a man came in here and cut me in half! And now there's a box with a lot of money and a gun."

"Well, it's not my picture on those passports," Liz retorted in a cold tone. She felt hurt and somehow betrayed although she didn't know what she had expected. That he was going to confess that the things belonged to him?

"Okay," Tom said and looked at her and Don. "If you think I am guilty, then why don't you do anything about it?"

 _He's an asshole_ , Don thought. _That's why I don't like him._ "Well, we're doing something about it. You're coming with us, and we'll find out what this is all about, all right?" He put on a fake smile, but Tom actually smiled back. "Fine."

* * *

They brought Tom to the Post Office where Meera started to investigate him. Liz had hoped she could have listened, but Cooper put her on leave. So she had to go home while Tom spent the night in a cell at the Post Office.

* * *

 **Tuesday**

From a man he hired Red got word that Tom was being investigated. He decided to bring Gina Zanetakos into play. She was the only one he had been able to identify as a suspicious contact of Tom so far. And as his lover. But Liz told him that Cooper had put her on leave.

Consequently, Red paid Cooper a visit. "I fail to see how suspicions about her husband affect our arrangement."

The discussion went on, until Red remarked, "Delivering criminals to you is a hobby, a diversion, one that may become tiresome in which case we could always reminisce about that unfortunate incident in Kuwait." It was the reason he had asked for Cooper. It was easy for him to extort him whenever it was necessary.

Cooper put on a broad grin, trying to hide how uncomfortable he felt. "Are you threatening me, Red?"

"I am," Red admitted frankly. "We all make mistakes, don't we? And your mistake was looking the other way when one of your friends asked you a favour. A favour that cost the lives of ten Marines. If this ever comes out, you are done."

In the meantime, Meera had started the interrogation, but Tom insisted that he had never seen that box before in his life and that he had only been in Boston because of a job interview.

* * *

"Where are we on the contents of the box?" Cooper asked when he, Don, and Meera were walking to the parking lot.

"Still working on those passports and tracing the money," Don replied. "We actually did find a partial on one of the casings in the magazine of the gun. But it's not Tom Keen's, and there were no hits on it through AFIS."

"Give me updates as soon as you have them," Cooper told him. "Meanwhile, there's been a development. Reddington's brought us a case."

"He's going to work with us directly?" Don asked in surprise.

"He won't."

"Sir, I think it's entirely inappropriate that Keen is on the case when her husband's being investigated for murder," Meera said.

"There's been a change of plans." Cooper turned and walked to his car.

"Nothing against Liz," Don said, "but the way Reddington is able to manipulate a special task force is hair-rising."

"You are so right," Meera agreed. "I wonder how he convinced Cooper to let Keen work on this case."

"Are you coming?" Don asked as he started walking towards the war room.

"No, I've to fly to Boston on short notice and have a talk with the headmaster Tom Keen supposedly had a job interview with when Fokin was murdered."

* * *

 **Wednesday**

 _The "meeting" with Gina at the hotel, Maxwell Rüdiger, the bomb - Gina's apartment._

"So she killed Fokin, not Tom," Liz said when she showed the contents of the box she found to Don. "She's an assassin."

"Sorry, but all I see is that they may be working together," Don replied. "Similar boxes - except that hers has an H engraved in the top - and passports from the same countries. They might be partners. I mean, if the gun in Tom's box was Gina's, how did it get there, hm?"

"Reddington might have put it there," Liz suggested although she didn't believe it herself.

"Oh, come on. I admire what you're doing, standing up for your husband, but honestly, I think we both know it's time for you to protect yourself," he advised her and took the box with him before she could manipulate something.

* * *

 **Thursday**

After Red had a little chat with Maxwell Rüdiger, he was able to tell them that the bomb would go off this afternoon.

They were able to track Gina down in a park, but Don had to shoot her when she was about to stab Liz.

Angrily, Liz stormed into Cooper's office. "What the hell did you do?" she shouted at Don.

He was stunned. _What the hell is she thinking?_ "Excuse me?"

"That woman was the link. She was the only proof that my husband is innocent," Liz went on in despair. "And now she's what? Dying? Lying unconscious in some hospital?"

"She's in surgery," Don said.

"Have we forgotten that there's a bomb out there?"

Now Don had enough. Contrary to Liz he had learned to control his temper, but this was too much. He got up. "I told you once you are a junior agent with very little experience. Without Reddington you would have _never_ been chosen to be a member of a tactical unit. Within a short time I had to save your life twice! You're welcome by the way."

"Calm down," Cooper told them amiably but pointedly.

Liz realized that she had gone too far. Again. She sat down and took a deep breath. "What do you know about the bomb?"

They were able to figure out that a port had to be the target, and with Red's help it became clear that it was the port of Houston.

There, they were able to find the bomb, but the only way to get rid of it was to put it in the water.

* * *

"The way you drove the car," Liz said on the flight back to D.C., "it was pretty professional."

"My father was a racer." Don still felt shaken up, but he tried not to show her. "I used to drive races in junior divisions, but I had to give it up when my mother decided to move to D.C. with me. She never liked that he was pushing me into racing."

It was the first time he ever told her something about himself. On the other hand, she had never asked him anything personal. "Is he still alive?" she asked carefully.

"No, he died from cancer a few years ago."

"Like my adoptive father." Liz was still commiserating about Sam's death. "It's only been a few weeks. I still miss him."

"It's never easy to lose someone you are close to."

"What about your mom?"

"Ironically, she died in a car crash when I was 19," Don replied.

"That's awful," Liz said. In fact, they were in the same position. Alone. No family. At least, he had known his parents. "I've always missed my mom although I can't remember her. Strange, isn't it? I think I'm so... I know I'm sometimes... I can be disconnected, withdrawn..."

"Bitchy," he added.

Liz laughed, and it made her feel better. "Yeah. Sometimes I am a bitch. I'm sorry I yelled at you this morning."

"In the heat of the moment, I guess." Don smiled at her, willing to forgive her.

Liz thought for a moment. "How do you learn to trust? I know, it's a strange question, but I keep asking myself that for days. I feel so disconnect, and I don't know how to change it. I found out that I don't even trust Tom. I just _want_ to trust him because that's what you do when you are in a committed relationship, right?"

He felt relieved that she was at least considering Tom could be guilty. "That's a difficult question. I think you simply do it."

"Do you trust me?" she asked.

"Somehow," he replied without thinking about it. "I'm not completely sure, but I think you got involved in all this without your knowledge."

"Has anyone ever betrayed your trust?"

"Oh, yeah." He looked displeased and a little sad.

"Who?" Liz dared to ask.

Don hesitated for a moment because this was going to be very personal. "Mainly my own parents, people you should really be able to trust. I think you're born with the instinct to trust your parents."

 _This is definitely a problem when you can't remember your parents at all_ , she thought. "What happened?"

"Many things." Don swayed in his seat, feeling uncomfortable. He wasn't a guy who liked to talk about his feelings. He felt, however, that the answer was important to her. "The first time I realized that they didn't care much about me was when I was about six or seven," he finally said.

"On the way home, I was attacked by a boy who suddenly went mad and was about to smash my head with a big stone. I don't know why he wanted to do that, but I remember I was pretty sure he was determined to kill me or at least hurt me badly. It was no fun, no harmless fight. I simply knew that. I don't know what was wrong with him, but I'm pretty sure he's in jail or has buried some bodies in his backyard.

"Well, I decided the best thing was to run," he said with a grimly smile. "I ran towards the first adult I saw, asking for help, because I trusted in that an adult would help a child. It was a woman with a big dog, and the only thing she did was to tell me to go away because the dog was dangerous. What kind of person are you when you have a dog that has kids for breakfast?"

"Not a good one, I suppose." Liz cuddled up in her seat and noticed how good it felt to talk to Don. For a moment she even wished he would take her in his arms, and was shocked about her feelings a second later. But she couldn't deny that an intense desire to get closer to him beset her.

"First lecture was: not all adults care when a child is in need. So I ran home and told my parents what had happened," Don went on. "I expected them to console me, to talk to the boy's parents and to the teachers at school, and to make sure that someone would be with us on the way home. I knew exactly what to do, but I also knew I couldn't do it myself because it was too complex for me. And they did - nothing." He shook his head, still in disbelief.

"They left me alone. I had to handle the situation on my own. Maybe it made me stronger because I had to face my fear, but I knew it wasn't right. They should have helped me. Luckily, the boy never attacked me again, but from this moment I knew that I couldn't count on my parents. That I couldn't trust them."

"This is so sad," Liz said with tears in her eyes. "Is this why you became an FBI agent?" She had noticed that he empathised with victims, and it suited what he had just told her. He had learned that some people were simply all alone when they needed help the most.

"Think so." Don nodded.

"I'm in the same position with Tom now," she realized. "I should trust him because he's my husband but, somehow, I can't. This is a nightmare. You know, we are looking forward to adopting a child. And now Tom might be involved in a murder."

"Well, we'll see how this plays out," Don said friendly. "Gina Zanetakos will make it, so we can talk to her tomorrow, all right?"

* * *

 **Friday**

After they had been able to trace the money in the box to an offshore account of Reddington, Gina Zanetakos told them that it had been Reddington who had hired her to kill Viktor Fokin. As the fingerprint on the casing in the magazine of the gun was hers it seemed she was telling the truth. She denied she had ever been in touch with Tom or heard his name.

Now everything looked as if Red had set Tom up.

When Tom was released, he identified a member of Reddington's team - no one knew his name or position in Red's organization - as the one who had interviewed him for the job in Boston.

Liz felt equally relieved and disappointed. It confused her that it disappointed her. _Would I have really been happy if he had gone to jail for murder?_ she asked herself, shocked about her own feelings.

After Liz and Tom had left the Post Office, Meera and Don looked at each other.

"Do you think he's really innocent?" Meera finally asked.

"It's too smooth and perfect, isn't it? And I mean, why would Red do that? Hire Zanetakos to kill a Russian agent, take the gun from her, with hopes that her fingerprints were on it, and put it into a box together with forged passports - their quality at least has a lot to commend it - and money traceable to him. Then, put that box in a hatch in the floor of the Keens' house, and hire Zamani to injure Tom hoping Liz _might_ discover the box."

"Maybe he's crazy," Meera suggested.

Don laughed. "Do you really think that?"

"No," she said. "And you are right. The passports are real, not simply forged, and we know Reddington has people in all kinds of departments. So the passports really could have been made by his organization. But if he wanted to set Tom up, why would he use money that we can trace him to? He isn't stupid at all. I don't think he would make a mistake like that."

"That's the point." Don nodded. "The money is a very strange aspect."

"Maybe both Tom and Gina work for Reddington."

"The money in Gina's box wasn't traceable," Don said. "Wouldn't she have money from him when he hired her to kill Fokin? And why would Red hire Tom and not care we find out?"

"What if Liz tried to set Reddington up and placed the box there herself?" Meera asked.

Don thought about that possibility. Then, he shook his head. "I don't think so. It wouldn't help her get rid of Red. And the risk that it wouldn't work, and her husband would go to jail, would be too high."

* * *

"Zanetakos confessed," Liz said when she entered Red's safe house.

"Or took the fall," Red replied.

"The passports? Forged. The money in the box? Traced to an offshore account of yours."

"I can only lead you to the truth, I can't make you believe it." In fact, Red felt uncomfortable. How the hell did Tom get money that was traceable to him?

"The truth is that you're a sick, twisted man," Liz said. "You put Tom's picture in Zanetakos' apartment..."

"No."

"You hired her to kill Viktor Fokin. You set my husband up by having your errand boy lure him to Boston."

Red raised an eyebrow. "Is that what Tom said?" That was even worse. When Tom was able to identify someone from his team, he was organized better than Red had ever imagined. "Look, Lizzie. You may not like me. You may not understand how or why I do what I do. But I'm here because you want answers."

"Yes, but I don't want you in my personal life," Liz said. "Our relationship needs to end at work. I don't know how to make that clear."

"Do you know the problem with drawing lines in the sand? With a breath of air they disappear. Now, if you don't want to know who you really are, the solution is simple: say the word and I'll disappear." He had to take that risk and to hope she wouldn't tell him to go.

Unfortunately, Liz had realized, too, that the money was a strange aspect. It was too big a mistake for someone like Reddington. She wasn't sure whether she could trust Tom, or whether she could trust Red. She wavered about what to do. "I want to know who I am," she said, "what happened in the past, but I also need space between us."

"So you can make yourself believe that Tom is innocent, you love him, he loves you, and everything is gonna be okay?" Red asked. He knew this was exactly what she was going to do, and Liz knew he was right.

"I need some time," she finally said. "All this is too much. I don't know how to process it all."

Red nodded. "I'm sure time will unearth the truth."

* * *

 _Beta readers / support / bothered with questions about grammar: Ana, Umber (from AWWC) and theblacklister23. Many thanks to them. :)_


	9. Episode 7 - The Alchemist

**December, 2014**

 **Thursday**

When Liz recognized the number calling her cell phone as Red's, she sighed. "Would you come with me to the meeting with Reddington?" she begged Don who sat across from her at his desk.

"Did he say he wanted me to be there?" Don asked in surprise.

"No, but I don't want to go there alone," she explained to him. "He's blurring the lines. He acts as if he knew me, as if he was part of my life. He keeps telling me that my husband is dangerous, and that we shouldn't adopt a child. He's somehow obsessed with me. He offered me to walk away, but he's probably the only one who can tell me who I really am, who my parents are. So, I don't want him to disappear. On the other hand, I feel uncomfortable."

"I see," Don said, "but I don't think he'll like it when you meet him together with me."

"I don't care." Liz still hadn't made up her mind what she wanted to do. And as long as she wasn't sure about it, she wanted as little contact as possible with Red.

* * *

Red raised an eyebrow in disapproval, when Liz entered the safe house together with Don. It was clear to him that it hadn't been Donald's idea to accompany her but that Liz had asked him to. He decided to ignore it, and gave them a briefing about The Alchemist, his methods, and told them that his latest "creation", the supposedly dead Pytor Madrczyk, was in a hotel in Budapest.

* * *

 **Friday**

"How is the situation with Tom?" Meera asked on the flight to Budapest, after each of them had read files and newspapers. She had the seat at the corridor and leaned over Don's lap to talk to Liz who had the seat at the window.

"Fine." Liz put on a fake smile. Nothing was fine. She was trying to pretend that she was happy, that her marriage was great, but there was a part of her that was still full of doubts and had enough of her lies. "I don't know why Reddington did this, but I'm glad it's over. Now, we're looking forward to the adoption."

If she was honest to herself, she had to admit that the only reason she was still with Tom was the adoption. She wanted that child so much that she couldn't give up her marriage yet. Nobody had to tell her that it was insane. She wasn't sure whether her husband was a covert operative or even a murderer, but she was determined to have a child with him. She was scared, though, she might never get another chance to do this.

"Do you know which child you're going to adopt?" Meera asked.

"Yes, it's a girl. She's not born yet, but the mother is positive about that she wants to give her to us."

"You're adopting an infant, wow," Meera said and glanced at Don. "You know that this is going to be hard work, don't you?"

"Tom will take some time off, and I'll try to be there as often as possible." Liz was positive about that it would work. Or to be more specific, she _wanted_ to be positive about it.

"I wouldn't be that optimistic", Meera said. "When my daughter was born I was sure I would be able to handle a child and a job. But it turned out that it doesn't work without the help of my parents and many, many babysitters. I don't have the time for her I wish I had."

Don was glad that Alice was older now. He couldn't remember one single night he had slept through when she had been an infant.

"What about the father?" It was the first time Liz heard that Meera was a mother. She knew so little about her colleagues, but she was never sure how much she could ask them without being indiscreet. _I'm so insecure and immature_ , she thought with a silent groan.

"He buggered off when I was pregnant," Meera replied as if she hadn't been bothered by it. "Leela lives with my parents. That's the only way to manage it."

"Well, I have Tom," Liz said, but she wasn't sure about it at all.

* * *

 **Saturday**

The team arrested Pytor Madrczyk in Budapest and returned to D.C.

* * *

 **Monday to Wednesday**

The Alchemist case. _(No essential changes.)_

* * *

 **Thursday**

"Reddington's doing strange things," Don said when he entered Cooper's office.

Cooper looked up from a file. "What is he doing?"

"His chip indicated that he had been to an old warehouse several times. So I arranged a secret investigation. Well, he collects shredded documents from all kinds of departments and agencies, and has a team put them back together." Don raised an eyebrow, equally disapprovingly and amused. "It's a real strange hobby. On the other hand, information is the core of his business, and he needs sources."

"I was pretty sure he has people in all kinds of departments," Cooper remarked.

"I'm sure he has, but they won't have access to everything," Don said. "But it gets more confusing: he obviously blew up a house in Maryland."

"Why do you think that?" Cooper asked surprised. "And what kind of house?"

"Well, his chip indicated he was there. Short time later neighbours called the police because the house detonated. First investigations showed that it was recently bought by a Roger Homan, who doesn't exist, and that it either detonated because of a leak in the gas line or because of a bomb. It's a family house in Takoma Park. I don't know why Red might be interested in destroying it."

"Was anyone injured or killed?"

"No, sir. The house had been empty for a few months. And I can't find Reddington's connection to this house."

"Where did he live with his family?"

"In Barnaby Woods, Bethesda, only a few miles from Takoma Park," Don replied.

"Did Gordon Mays live there?"

"No. Nothing ties Red to this house."

"You're right." Cooper nodded. "It is strange."

* * *

When Don entered his and Liz's office he noticed that she was in a bad mood. "Something wrong?"

"I was late for dinner with Tom," she told him, glad that she could talk to him. "So I called him. He got angry and said he would throw the food away and go to a photography exhibition with Jolene."

"Who's Jolene?" Don put some files into the cabinets. He was in a hurry, but he felt that she had the desire to talk to someone. Obviously, there was no one else, not even a female friend. So, he leaned against one of the cabinets, listening to her.

"A young, very attractive substitute teacher who turned up at the baby shower the other night and was sooo understanding." Her voice was full of irony.

"You're jealous," Don said with a little smile.

Liz sighed, "I guess I am. But most of all, I'm scared that we're not working anymore. We should be sure about us and the adoption. And now he's angry with me because of my job all the time. As if I could walk away in the middle of a hostage situation to go home and have dinner with him."

"I guess you should explain that to him," Don suggested.

"Yeah, maybe you are right." Liz smiled thankfully, but still she couldn't get rid of her doubts. She also knew that she couldn't talk to Tom like she could talk to Don. If she was married to him, she would simply sit down with him and discuss the situation. When she tried to do that with Tom it mostly ended in a fight.

* * *

 **Friday**

"And what's a beautiful young woman like you doing with this vulture?" Dr. Maltz asked Samar.

"Trust me it's not by choice," she claimed with a forced smile.

"So, Lucy Brooks, you gave her a new face. I need to find her," Red said.

"You know I would help you if I could..."

"I do and I thank you for that, Abraham," Red cut him short. "Normally I wouldn't impose, but this is a personal matter of some urgency."

Dr. Maltz wasn't convinced and tried to refuse the answer. "I mean, I don't know you," he said to Samar.

"My name is Agent Samar Navabi. I'm with Mossad and am currently assigned to a special task force of the FBI. Mr. Reddington is working with us, helping us capture high-value targets and Lucy Brooks is one of them," she told him. Her name was real, but she had resigned Mossad a few years ago to join Red's team and, of course, she had nothing to do with the FBI.*)

Dr. Maltz turned to Red, looked at him, shocked. "Wait a minute. You're an informant now? How dare you come..."

"Did you hear me?" Samar gave him a wry look. "We need her name and we need to know what she looks like now. Give it to me or I'll call the Miami FBI Field Office and tear your practise apart faster than you can say 'tummy tuck.'"

"Jolene Parker, okay?" Dr. Maltz gave in. "That's the name she goes under now. Jolene Parker. And this is how she looks now." He went over to his desk, took out a file and gave them a picture.

"Abraham!" Red exclaimed in anger, pretending that this had just been a test. "I refer important clients to you, people who are vital to my business. People whose livelihood depends on your confidentiality and you roll over like a cockatoo wanting his belly scratched? Some woman who claims to be a Mossad agent makes a few ham-fisted threats and you hand over one of your own clients? Shame on you, Abraham!"

The conversation went on for a while, Dr. Maltz trying to explain himself and taking everything back, and Red pretending he was inexpiable.

Finally, Red and Samar left the office. "Do you want me to find her?" Samar asked, holding the picture of Jolene Parker in her hand.

"No, my dear," Red stroked her arm and smiled at her. "I've someone else in mind."

* * *

 _*) I want to keep Meera for some reasons (meaning the story will leave the track more and more), but I also need Samar now and then. (Both have certain qualities. ;)) Hence, she got a slightly different role and is part of Red's team._

* * *

 _Beta readers / support / bothered with questions about grammar: Umber (from AWWC) and theblacklister23. Many thanks to them. :)_


	10. Episode 8 - Anslo Garrick

**December, 2014**

 **Monday**

 _Oh my God_ , Red thought when he spotted Don. _How the hell does he know I'm in Munich? Oh, yeah, the damn chip_ , he remembered. He got up. "Donald, there you are!" he exclaimed in delight.

Don could tell that Red wasn't happy to see him here. The people he was with were probably "associates", and he didn't want to be exposed. So he decided to play along, and smiled when Red embraced him.

"I told you I'd pick you up at the airport. The cab ride must have cost you a fortune."

"Oh, it's okay," Don assured him, trying to ignore the fact that Red was pretty drunk.

"Who's this?" Maxwell Rüdiger asked.

"Donald is my man at the state department," Red explained, and Don had to force himself to keep on smiling. _What?! Red is selling me as an asset?_

When they were alone, Don lied to him, told him that Liz needed his help and that he had come back to D.C. with him immediately.

* * *

 _This guy really has his own jet._ Don could hardly believe it. It explained a thing or two. Red was able to fly everywhere, using forged passports and fake flight numbers, could land on any little airfield. He really was able to disappear within an hour.

"Why the hell did you blow up that house in Takoma Park?" he asked after a while.

"Why the hell did I have the idea with that damn chip?" Red retorted. He really should be more careful. Again and again he forgot about the chip and kept doing his business as if he was still moving freely.

Don hadn't expected any answer, so he went on reading his book.

* * *

 **Tuesday**

When they arrived at the Post Office, Cooper, Don and Meera explained to Red that they had brought him back because they had received word of a threat against him. Red, however, explained to them that the message was canned and that they were supposed to bring him back so Anslo Garrick could attack this facility. While they were still debating the building was breached.

Following that, Cooper teamed up with Meera who kept asking herself whether this attack had anything to do with the papers she had been asked to release.

Liz, who was late for work and got stuck in the elevator, later teamed up with Aram who kept asking himself whether this attack had anything to do with the information.

It so happened that Don, when he tried to bring Red to the box, got shot. Instead of leaving him in the hallway, Red dragged him into the box.

* * *

The first thing Red did, after he had helped Don lie down on the bench in the box, was apply a tourniquet above the wound. It stopped the heavy bleeding.*)

"What are you feeling?" Red asked afterwards. "In your lower extremities. What do you feel?"

"Not much," Don replied, heavily breathing, still under the impression of the terrible pain he had felt when Red had stanched the wound. "My fingers are numb, my face is getting cold..."

"Shock is setting in." Red put his hand at Don's cheek and felt the cold sweat. He took off his jacket and put it over Don to keep him warm. He knew that the shock and the massive blood loss was the main problem now. "What blood type are you?"

"B-negative."

"And you thought we had nothing in common." Red laughed and had a look into the emergency bag, found a set for a field transfusion and took it out. "There's only two percent of us, you know?"

"What are you doing?" Don tried to stay conscious, but he could hardly see straight. The walls of the box seemed to move, Red's voice sounded as if it was coming from far away, and he had never been so scared in his life. It felt as if the fear would choke him.

"A blood transfusion would help."

Don stared at him, speechless. Red didn't notice it because he was busy with first aid and listening to Anslo Garrick who had begun his speech about vengeance. Doing something useful helped him stay calm.

Red put Don's head on a small leather bag, opened the first buttons of Don's shirt and loosened his tie so he could breathe. Next, he cut open the pants below the tourniquet with a pair of scissors and cleaned the wounds with some water from the built-in sink, using a little cup he had found. He also gave Don some water to drink and checked his pulse which was irregular, typical for someone in shock.

"Breathe, Donald," he told him when Garrick had a little break, "try to breathe deeply and regularly." His voice was gentle and calm.

Now, Garrick sat down next to the box. "Don. We never met in person, Don, but if you'd done your job back in Brussels in '09, I wouldn't be here now."

 _Oh God, no!_ Don thought and closed his eyes in despair. _He's going to let me die!_

Meanwhile, Red had dressed the wounds. Now, he gave Garrick a cheeky reply. They discussed their former partnership, before Red returned to Don and began to prepare the field transfusion.

"You really gonna do a field transfusion?" Don asked. Maybe Red knew a thing or two about first aid, but if something went wrong during this field transfusion, he would really die.

"Oh, come on, Donald, think how much smarter you'll be afterwards," Red joked, trying to cheer the younger man up. He wasn't really successful, though.

"Why the hell are you doing this? It's pretty obvious that I hate your guts, and I can't imagine you hold a whole lot of warmth for me, especially after hearing that I was about to kill you in Brussels."

"I knew that."

"Then why save me?"

"First, this is what you do when someone is dying in front of you. Second, it would be pretty boring to spend some time in this box with someone who can't answer. Third, it's not your fault."

"Not my fault?" Don looked at him in confusion.

"It's your job hunting me," Red explained calmly. "I never took it personally."

 _But he took it pretty personally_ , Don thought, now completely confused. "We're not gonna live through this," he said in despair. "You don't need to bother."

Red sighed when he saw how scared the young agent was. It was more dangerous than the wound at his leg. He had to do something to calm him down. "We will."

"How?"

"Have you ever sailed across an ocean, Donald?" Red asked while he started the blood transfusion. Following that, he told him what he would like to do one last time before he died.

Don realized once more how little time he had for his daughter, for himself. He had been hurrying through his life for years without a break, without any time for something beautiful. He had followed Red to several places all around the world, but he had never seen more of them than just airports, hotels, police stations, and possible safe houses.

"Most of all, I wanna sleep," Red said, "I wanna sleep like I slept when I was a boy. Give me that. Just one time."

Don hadn't slept well in years. Always too short, too light, too little. He couldn't help but start crying. He was ashamed of it, was angry at himself, but Red just smiled fatherly at him and wiped the tears away.

"Do you remember that Road Runner cartoon?" Garrick asked from outside the box, destroying the moment of hope. When Red didn't react, as he wished he said, "I'd give up the leg up as a lost cause by now, wouldn't you? If the sepsis hadn't set in by now, Donnie, it will. And then your body will slowly poison its own blood supply."

Red noticed Don's fearful look and threw an angry look at Garrick. He knew exactly what Garrick was trying to do, and in his weak condition Don wasn't able to see it.

"Don't listen to him, Donald. Look, it's not bleeding anymore." He helped him have a look at the clean dressed wound. "As long as the tourniquet is there nothing can happen. It can stay there for hours without any consequences. Of course, the massive blood loss was a grave danger, but we stopped it. The next grave danger was the shock, the weakness because of the blood loss, and your fear of dying. Now that we compensated the blood loss we can hold out for hours because it also takes hours for an infection to set in. You just have to calm down. You are NOT going to die."

Don felt ashamed of being so scared. "Hold out for hours?"

"We've only been here for a little more than half an hour." Red smiled, encouraging. "And I'm sure, someone out there will notice pretty soon that something is wrong and will call the cavalry."

Don tried to breathe deeply and to calm himself down. He still felt weak, but no longer close to fainting.

Red ended the transfusion and gave Don some more water to drink. "May I ask you something with the hope that you won't take offense?" he asked after a moment of silence.

Don laughed. "You already know it's gonna offend me. Ask anyway."

"What happened to Audrey Bidwell?"

Don turned his head and looked at him in surprise, but Red seemed absolutely serious. Something was wrong. "You wouldn't ask if you knew," he said more to himself than to Red. "How do you know about her?" he tried to find out what was going on.

Red shrugged. "When you turned up as the new case agent I ran a background check on you. I heard you were engaged. But now you are not married."

It really seemed as if he had no idea what had happened. Don could hardly believe it. Had he been wrong for five years? "Do you know Endrizzo Palmer?"

"Terrible loser," Red said. "But yes, I brokered a few jobs for him. Why?"

"He shot Audrey. There was evidence that lead to him. He was dead when we arrived, had been shot and killed by a still unknown person, but we found an order and some money that we traced to one of your offshore accounts."

"That's why you hate me," Red understood. "You think I had your fiancé killed, or hurt. Was she killed?"

"Yes." Don looked at him carefully. But it really seemed as if this was absolutely new to Red.

"I assure you, Donald, I didn't hire Palmer or anyone else to kill your girlfriend. Why would I do that? Because of you were doing your job?" He gave a little shrug. "If you didn't do it, someone else would. If I killed you, someone else would take your place. And killing your loved ones just makes you a dangerous enemy. It doesn't make any sense to do that."

"But who would want me to kill you?" Don asked thoughtfully. "It... Do you know why I screwed up Brussels? I... I simply couldn't pull the trigger." It was the first time ever he admitted it to someone. "When I was assigned to the case I had a secret dead-or-alive-order," he explained. "I wanted to get you alive because taking you down could mean putting away hundreds of others as well. But Brussels was only a dead option. But it felt like cold-blooded murder. You didn't notice me, you had no chance at all. That's why I hesitated. Then, you noticed that something was up, and the opportunity was gone. Two months later, Audrey got shot and died a little later at the hospital."

"I guess, the same people who assigned you to the case are responsible for her death," Red said grimly. He felt filled with warmth, however. It had been Donald's decency and sense for humanity that had saved his life back then. "Do you know who made the decision?"

Don shook his head. "No. Someone at the Justice Department."

Red had always been careful about him because he knew who the young agent was connected to, but now it seemed as if Don himself wasn't aware of it at all. "There are many people who want me dead. I guess, one of them tried to use you as a weapon against me."

There was a moment of silence, before Don suddenly asked, "Do you think Tom used the same trick?"

"What trick?"

"The money," Don said, "the money in the box. I can't believe that you would try to set someone up by using money that is traceable to you. Someone used money traceable to you to make it look like as if you had hired Palmer to kill Audrey. Tom could get some of your money somehow, put it into the box to make it look like as if you had placed it there."

"So, you don't believe he's innocent?" Red was pleased that there was at least someone else who was not convinced of Tom's innocence.

"We were never sure. But it's impossible to prove that he placed the money there himself."

They were interrupted by the events outside the box. Garrick brought all hostages into the hall and tried to make Cooper give him the code, but Cooper refused.

At first, Red was fine with it, but when Garrick threatened to kill Luli, he begged, "Harold, open the box now. Give him the code!"

"No!" Cooper was determined not to give in.

"Anslo, my people can help you. Cooper can get you in here. Put that gun to his head." But Garrick was still counting backwards.

"Shall I give you the code?" Don asked softly.

 _Of course, Donald opened the box!_ "Wait! Ressler knows the code."

Garrick stopped the countdown and then, pointed the gun to Cooper, when he yelled, "Don't give him the code, Agent Ressler! That's an order!"

Sensing the conflict Don was in Red took a gun from the tactical belt he had taken from Garrick's man and loaded it. "Well, then I have to make you give me the code."

"Are you going to kill me now?" Don asked confused.

Unseen from Garrick Red took a small gun from a holster at his ankle and slipped it into Don's right hand under the jacket that was still covering him, before he put the other gun to Don's head. "At least, we have to make it look like that," he whispered.

At that moment, they all heard a shot in the distance. Don was under the impression that his heart skipped a beat before he realized that the shot had nothing to do with him.

They all waited and watched until Garrick's men came back with Liz and Aram.

Red turned to Don and leaned over him, placing the gun at his temple. "Now I really need the code, Donald."

"He's gonna kill you." Don was really worried about him. The short time they had spent together had changed his mind about Red rootedly.

"That's the risk I have to take," Red replied. "Better me than my people or Agent Keen. Tell me the code now."

"Romeo," Don said without hesitation. "The access code is Romeo."

The box was opened and Garrick took Red and Liz with him. One of his men stayed behind, and now Don understood why Red had given him the small gun. He had known that Garrick wouldn't leave anyone behind. Don shot the man to save the team.

Cooper entered the box. "Where did you get that gun?"

"He gave it to me."

"Before or after he threatened you?" But then, Cooper changed his mind, "You know what? I don't want to know."

* * *

In the end, Garrick had to do without Liz, although he had been told to bring her, too. Red was brought to an old warehouse and tortured before he had a "conversation" with Alan Fitch who had orchestrated the attack. Fitch asked Red about the "alleged evidence", and Red assured him that he had it. He told him, however, that his reason to surrender to the FBI had nothing to do with Fitch's group or the "evidence".

"What about Agent Keen?" Fitch asked. "Why is she so important to you?"

"She has nothing to do with you, either," Red replied.

"That wasn't what I asked," Fitch insisted, but Red didn't give him a satisfying answer.

In the meantime, Liz discovered that she had been watched by the man with the apple. Together with Mr. Kaplan, Dembe and Red's mercenaries she discovered the facility where the Post Office had been watched from.

Meera was able to find a few locations of interest, and Liz recognized one of the locations as one that had been in the GPS of the car of the man with the apple.

But when they arrived there, Red was already gone. Only Garrick's body was still there.

* * *

 **Wednesday**

While the cameras were removed from their house, Tom and Liz had the next argument about her job.

In her office at the Justice Department Diane Fowler had a meeting with Alan Fitch.

"Are you mad?" she asked him furiously. "When you said you wanted surveillance and that you wanted to make a point, you didn't mention that you would gun down a black site of the U.S. government, kill ten of our own people who were serving this country, and that you would watch everyone, including me!"

Fitch's pale blue eyes were cold. As if it was a reply he said, "That's the price you have to pay when you're dealing with Raymond Reddington."

"The people who worked there and were killed yesterday didn't choose to work with him," Diane retorted. "Most of the guards were not even briefed about what is really going on in this building."

But he wasn't impressed at all.

* * *

In the afternoon, Madita and Alice paid Don a visit at the hospital. Alice was happy to have her dad back and didn't listen to Madita when the young Swedish girl tried to hold her from climbing the bed.

"It's okay," Don told her and took Alice in his arms. "I'm fine." He kissed Alice on the forehead, and she cuddled up with him.

To his relief Red had been right. By applying a tourniquet and undertaking the field transfusion the danger had been eliminated. It had been a long surgery, though, to remove the bullets and to repair the vascular, but the doctors were optimistic that the leg would heal fine.

Raymond Reddington had really saved his life. Don was uncertain how to deal with it. He had hated him for years because he had to believe that he had killed the mother of his child. Now, it had turned out that Red had nothing to do with it. In addition, he had been fatherly to him, something Don was receptive to. Had Red done this on purpose to manipulate him, or did he really like him?

* * *

In the evening, Red called Liz from a phone box and told her that he would be gone for a while.

To her surprise Liz felt relieved. She couldn't deny that she somehow liked him. At least, she didn't want him to die, and it wasn't just because she wanted answers about her past.

"One question, please," she stopped him from hanging up. "About my parents. Are they still alive?"

"I don't think so," Red replied. "Lizzie... be careful of your husband."

* * *

 **Thursday**

"Hey," Liz said when she entered Don's hospital room. She smiled at him and put a bunch of things on his bed. "I didn't know what you like so I brought you different magazines, different sweets..."

It made Don laugh. "I guess, now I won't be bored anymore and I'm gonna get fat."

Liz noticed that he had his own clothes meanwhile, a bunch of other magazines and books at his bedside, an MP3-player, and more sweets. She laughed. "I guess, I'm not the first visitor."

She was about to ask whether he had a girlfriend, but then she decided against it. Somehow she didn't want to know. She didn't want to know it because it would make her jealous if the answer was yes. A second later she was appalled at herself. _What the hell is wrong with me?_

She overcame the temptation to sit down at the edge of the bed. Instead, she sat down on a chair and told him what had happened after he had been rushed to the hospital. She also told him that Red had called her, and that she had asked him whether her parents were still alive.

"I can't tell you that, either," said Don who was relieved to hear that Red was alive. "In the meantime, we ran a search with your DNA-profile through all kinds of databases to find relatives, but there wasn't a single hit. Either they were never in the system, or you are an alien."

Liz laughed although it made her sad that she, obviously, didn't have any relatives, not even a cousin or an aunt. "Sometimes I feel like an alien. You know, I wanted to be a profiler, but now I think I'm a complete failure."

"Nah, I don't think you're a complete failure." He smiled at her. It was nice of her to pay him a visit. In the meantime, he had learned that it was difficult for her to establish relationships and to show that she cared. Consequently, this was an important gesture.

"I'll never be able to understand Reddington."

"Maybe it's difficult because he's an alien," Don joked.

"Maybe he really is." Liz paused before she said, "Around this time of the year it must have happened. 24 years ago. Maybe that's why I've never liked Christmas."

"If you're really going to adopt a child, you have to like it," Don said. "Then you have to decorate your home, bake cookies, make handicrafts..."

"Oh my God." Liz laughed. "I can't bake, I can't even cook noodles, and I hate making crafts. But you are right. If I'm a mother, I will have to learn all these things."

* * *

 _*) I'm so sorry for the writers, but my sources - a paramedic and a nurse - say that he could stop the bleeding entirely by applying a tourniquet. Cauterizing and all that stuff wouldn't have been necessary._

 _And yes, I kept Luli. I need her for a special scene. ;)_

* * *

 _Beta readers / support / bothered with questions about grammar: Umber (from AWWC) and theblacklister23. Many thanks to them. :)_


	11. Episode 9 - The Good Samaritan

**January, 2015**

Red took vengeance for the events and killed everyone who had been involved.

* * *

 **Monday**

"You downloaded classified data about our cases," Cooper said and looked angrily and uncomprehendingly at Aram. "Who did you give them to?"

"I don't know." Aram looked scared and was in a cold sweat.

"You don't know?"

"I was told to leave a USB-drive at different locations each time."

"Who told you that?" Cooper leaned forward and stared at him. It made Aram even more nervous.

"A man on the phone. He..." Aram wasn't sure whether he should really tell him everything. "They have my sister," he finally said. "They abducted her. I don't know who they are, or what they are doing with this information. Sir, do you think it was Garrick?"

Cooper almost felt sorry for him. "Why should Garrick be interested in our cases? You should have come to me the moment it happened."

"They threatened to kill her!"

"Of course, they did! That's what kidnappers always do. We could have tried to track them down, find your sister, give them false information..." Cooper was furious. This was a black site, but they had been watched, attacked and now extorted for information. Everyone seemed to know everything about this facility and what was going on inside of it.

* * *

 **Next week, Tuesday**

All members of the task force had been interrogated, but it seemed as if none of them, except poor Aram, had been involved in the attack.

It turned out that it wasn't difficult to find the location where the kidnappers held Aram's sister Miriam captive. Luckily, she was fine although badly shaken up. The kidnappers, however, didn't leave a trace so they were unable to find out who had been interested in their cases.

Aram wasn't charged for his actions, but he had to leave the task force. He was glad, however, to return to his office job at the headquarters because he had more time to look after his sister.*)

It was decided to move the task force to a new location because they couldn't tell if Garrick had been the only one who was in possession of the blueprints of the building.**)

* * *

 **Next week, Monday**

"I'm almost glad to be back at work," Liz said when she, Don and Meera had a look at the new facility, a former embassy not far from Rock Creek Park. It now took her more time to get to work, but she was glad she could escape the situation with Tom.

The past weeks she had spent at home. Tom had been nice to her, and they had prepared everything for the arrival of the baby, but somehow it didn't feel right. She knew she was hypocritical, but she wasn't willing to give up the idea of adopting the baby girl.

The embassy, that had been abandoned about 6 months ago, was completely different to the Post Office. The former conference room became the new war room, and Don and Liz's new office on the first floor had a thick, red carpet and filing cabinets made of dark wood. There was more space, big windows that let in some daylight, and there was even an orange tree in a corner of the room. Liz liked it and planned to buy some more indoor plants. _But Don probably won't like it_ , she thought with a smile.

"Unfortunately, there must be someone else," Meera said. "Someone with high access. Otherwise, the blueprints of the building would have never gotten into Garrick's hands."

"Do you think it was Aram?" Liz was still sad that he had to leave the task force, although she was glad that his sister was safe now.

"No." Don shook his head. "He was asked for information on Reddington and the cases. It had nothing to do with Red's times of arrival or the facility as such. That must have been someone entirely different."

* * *

 **Thursday**

Liz got word of The Good Samaritan and convinced Cooper that it would be a good opportunity to draw Red out of the shadows.

Liz and Don started their investigation with the latest victim of The Good Samaritan at the morgue. She told him about the case and was surprised when he volunteered to stay with the victim's son.

Due to the new case Liz had to change her weekend plans. She had promised Tom to accompany him to a teachers' conference in Orlando. When she told him on the phone that she couldn't come right away, he became angry and said that he would go alone and she didn't have to join him later. "Maybe some time apart is the best thing for us," he suggested.

"That's last thing I want," she replied, but he simply hung up. She sighed and put the phone away.

Don had a brief glance at her before he focussed on the street again. "Shall I rough him up for you?" he asked and gave her one of his little smiles.

"I hate this job."

"On Monday you were glad to be back," he remarked. He hesitated. Finally, he asked what had been on his mind for a while, "How can you be so sure about having a child with him? I know you are still having doubts about him, and you two are arguing over everything."

Liz was about to tell him that it wasn't his business, but then she decided differently. "I know. It's just... I want that baby so much. And I think it might change everything."

Don raised an eyebrow. "Do you know how many women think that their marriage will change when they get pregnant? That they can pin the guy down when they have a baby? That he will marry them, that it will fix their relationship? And in the end everyone is unhappy, the guy, the woman, and the child."

"Do you think I'm egoistic if I go through with the adoption because I want a child?" She felt offended. On the other hand, she knew that he was probably right.

"No, I think you didn't think it through. What if he leaves you because of this young, attractive substitute teacher? What if you realize that he really isn't who you think he is? Will you give up your job then to be with the baby? Who will pay your rent? Who will pay for the needs of the child?"

Liz sighed and nodded. "I probably have to think about it some more."

* * *

 **Friday and Saturday**

The Good Samaritan case _(no essential changes)_

Meera stole Cooper's access card and looked up something classified in the system; while Red had a "pleasant meeting" with Henry and his wife Janice. He found out that Newton Philips had been involved in the attack.

Later, Red met with Newton at a lonely place at the sea. "If you had come to me, I could have helped you. We could have avoided all of this," he said. "But now we can't. I know you helped me back then, in that night. You helped me and my sister leave the country, and I was glad to see you again, but this... You betrayed me, Newton."

"They threatened my family."

"Of course, they did." Red had changed his mind about taking vengeance. Not entirely, but for the man he had become it didn't make any difference how people paid the price for their actions. He didn't feel any regret when he killed Newton.

* * *

 **Sunday**

Red met with the Cowboy and hired him to find Jolene Parker.

Later, he paid Liz a visit and told her that his house was clean now, but he wasn't sure about hers. He wouldn't set foot in the Post Office, until the mole was found.

"We are not longer at the Post Office," Liz told him. "Too many people seem to know about the building. You're welcome to have a look at the new facility." She smiled, somehow glad that he was back. But Red insisted on meeting at different locations for a while.

About an hour after Red had left Tom came back home. He had decided against an affair with Jolene, who had hit on him at the teachers' conference, and again, he and Liz tried to make it right.

* * *

 _*) I know many of you like Aram, but I have no special use for him in the next chapters. Therefore, I decided to give him at least a special role. ;) He was also the only one I could think of for this "job". The writers failed to tell us how certain people got knowledge of classified data. As Aram would never do something bad, extortion was the only way I could think of._

 _**) The Post Office is a lovely location, but I think that's what the FBI would do if this was a little more realistic. So say hello to The Embassy. :D_

* * *

 _Beta readers / support / bothered with questions about grammar: Umber (from AWWC) and theblacklister23. Many thanks to them. :)_


	12. Episode 10 - The Cyprus Agency

**February, 2015**

 **Tuesday**

Red met with Liz and told her about The Cyprus Agency.

Her first reaction was one of annoyance. "Adoption," she said. "Why is everyone trying to talk me out of the adoption?"

"Who is trying to talk you out of the adoption?" Red asked with an innocent smile.

"Meera, Don, now you." Too late she noticed that she had called her supervisor by his first name.

"I'm not talking you out of this," Red claimed, "I'm just giving you the chance to take down a criminal organization that is abducting babies from their mothers' arms."

* * *

 **Tuesday and Wednesday**

The Cyprus Agency case. _(No essential changes)_

"Hey, can you get me in touch with Reddington?" Don asked when he entered his and Liz's office on Wednesday afternoon, some files in his hands. "I would like to meet him."

Liz looked up from her monitor. "About what? I mean, I don't care, but he will probably ask."

"Surprise." Don smiled. "No strings attached, I promise."

To her surprise Red agreed without hesitation to meet Don and told her a time and a location for the next day.

* * *

 **Thursday**

 _Ongoing investigation._

In the afternoon, Red was waiting for Don at a synagogue. He was sure that the dutiful agent would just give him his jacket back. Cleaned, of course. Therefore, he hadn't been suspicious when Donald requested a meeting.

To his surprise Don wasn't alone when he entered the synagogue but was holding a little girl by the hand. Don didn't have to tell him who she was. With her long, curly, blond hair - a little fairer and less reddish than his - her fine, beautiful face, the freckles - less than him - and her blue-green eyes she looked like a young, female version of her father.

Red understood that whoever killed Audrey also killed the little girl's mother. Only a very cold-hearted person would shoot a woman who was obviously pregnant. She had to be at the end of her pregnancy, otherwise, the doctors wouldn't have been able to save the baby. No wonder that Don had hated him that much when he had to believe that he had ordered to kill her.

He was stunned, overwhelmed that Don allowed her to see him, or to be more specific allowed _him_ to see her. This gesture of trust and the adorable little girl, who reminded Red of his own daughter when she had been that age, was too much for him. It touched a side in him he had tried to forget for years.

"This is my daughter, Alice," Don said. "She insisted on giving you the present that she made for you herself." He had been at odds with himself for days, but he hadn't found a way out of this. He couldn't teach his daughter decency and refuse to allow her paying respect at the same time.

Red fought back his tears and forced himself to smile. "A present?"

"You're the man who saved my daddy, right?" Alice asked him.

Red swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "Yes."

She gave him a little box. His hands were shaking slightly, when he opened it. Inside he discovered a little lion made from cloth and wool. It was a bit crooked, but it was clearly a lion.

"This is Leon," she told him with a proud smile, "he's a lifesaver."

"He's wonderful," Red said, smiling at her, but he still had to fight back his tears. He was sure that Don hadn't told her who he was. For her he was just some stranger who had been helpful. He knew that, and still it was the most valuable present he had received in years. "Did you make it yourself?"

She was embarrassed and hesitated. "With Madita," she finally said.

Don was amazed at Red's reaction. He knew that it was real. Red wasn't acting, he was really deeply moved.

Don handed him a bag. "I made you a copy of the book about Leon. And there's your jacket, cleaned, of course."

The "book" was made out of papers in A4 format, stapled together, with drawings and handwritten stories about Leon and his adventures. Red realized that Alice was the "author". She had drawn most of the pictures and obviously asked grown-ups, there were different handwritings, to write down the stories for her. These were stories only a child could come up with; they had no storyline, were in no particular order and sometimes difficult to understand.

He laughed about the sentence, " _The family asked Leon how to catch the mouse, and he said they should give the mouse a cat._ "

"I promise to read it thoroughly tonight," he said and smiled at Alice. "And I will always carry Leon with me as a talisman."

"You know that you have to keep a promise?" Alice looked at him, bantering.

"Yes." Red nodded, absolutely serious now, and he put the little lion into the pocket of his jacket. "See, I'll keep it here, and when I put on a different jacket I will put it in that. Thank you, Alice." He smiled at her before he looked at Don. "Thank you, Donald," he said softly.

Don nodded, being aware of that this gesture really meant a lot to Red, and he was sure the older man would keep his promise to carry Leon with him.

* * *

 **Saturday**

Red had been surprised when Meera had asked for a meeting, and he was even more surprised when she handed him a classified file.

"This is a directive for a mandatory security upgrade," she told him. "I was asked to send it to a contractor without reading it and without knowing who authorized it. After the Post Office had been breached, I tried to find the contractor, but he doesn't exist. Well, I found out what the file is really about - getting the blueprints of the building into Garrick's hands. The person who ordered it signed on page six."

Red raised an eyebrow and had a look at page six of the file. "Why would you do that, Agent Malik?"

"I was used," Meera explained to him. "I'm in this task force because someone wanted me to be an informant, a spy. I don't like being used. Someone on the inside betrayed us. I don't like being betrayed. And I don't like to see colleagues of mine getting killed because of something that could have been done differently."

"You are a little, mean witch," Red remarked, "and I definitely don't want to be on your blacklist, but I see we both value loyalty above anything else."

* * *

 **Sunday**

Late at night, Red paid Diane a visit because she had been the one who ordered the vetting of the Post Office.

"I know the truth, Red," Diane tried to save herself, "about that night, about what happened to your family. Do you wanna know the truth?"

"More than anything in the world," he replied, "but I know you're lying, Diane. When I arrived at the cabin you were already gone. None of you know who that guy is and what he was after."

"He was after what we all were after," Diane gave a little shrug. "But I think you never had it. You don't have it, do you?"

"Well, at least I know where it is," Red replied before he shot her.

* * *

 **Thursday**

While the task force was still busy closing the case of The Cyprus Agency, Red came by and had a look at The Embassy. Everyone, except Meera, was surprised to see him there because they all knew he didn't want to come anymore until the mole had been found. Cooper suspected him of being involved in the disappearance of Diane Fowler.

"This is a nice facility," Red said instead of answering Cooper's questions. "I bet everyone enjoys working here." He grinned. "I think I'll come by more often, now that you have carpets and real furniture, and a heating."

* * *

In the evening, Liz told Tom that she couldn't adopt the baby girl or any other child. She didn't want to raise an Owen Mallory.

When Tom left the house, angry and disappointed, she gave way to despair. She knew it was the end of her dreams of adopting a child, and it was the end of her marriage. She didn't love Tom enough. Not anymore. Maybe she had never really loved him. She had been in love with an illusion, no matter whether he was an imposter or innocent.

She thought about calling Don because there was no one else she could talk to. But she didn't dare to. After all, he was her colleague. Calling him that late because of a private matter would have been pretty strange.

Tom met with Jolene and told her about Liz's decision.

"Well, at least you have more time for your job now," Jolene said.

"I don't need to take any time off. Or what do you mean?"

"I know that Elizabeth Keen is not your wife, she's your target." Suddenly sweet Jolene wasn't so sweet anymore.

Tom felt found out, but he kept playing his role. "My - what?"

"Oh, come on. My employer does business with yours. He allowed us to get in touch with you, as long as your target isn't hurt."

"I don't know what you are talking about." No one had told him anything, so this was probably a trap.

"We want Reddington," Jolene said. "I work for a guy named Berlin. He's been following Reddington for years. He got in touch with your employer who said that Reddington is a problem for you. He exposed you, your marriage is in trouble... So why don't we work together?"

 _No, my marriage, my mission, is in trouble because I took it too far_ , Tom thought. He had been supposed to be a friend. When Liz fell in love with him he jumped at the chance. He liked her, and once in a while he fell in love with the idea of living an ordinary life, of having a family with her.

He didn't love her, though, loved the illusion they had been living together much more, and he had blown it because he went through with the idea of adopting a baby. He shouldn't have done it. He felt sorry for Liz because he knew how lonely she was and how much she had wanted that child.

Now, his mission was in danger because he had been too emotional. He had argued with Liz over her job, their relationship, everything. Reddington had disconcerted him when he suddenly turned up. Yes, Reddington was a problem, but Tom didn't believe that he could save his mission by working together with someone like Jolene or a mysterious guy by the name Berlin.*)

* * *

 _*) Yes, there's no difference to the show that Tom works for someone, but as you can see he neither works for Red (and he never has) nor does he work for Berlin. His mission is a complete different one in this story. I can tell you that Tom's employer is the No. 1 on this blacklist and will be exposed in the final chapters._

* * *

 _Beta readers / support / bothered with questions about grammar: Umber (from AWWC) and theblacklister23. Many thanks to them. :)_


	13. Episode 11 - Mako Tanida Pt1

**Saturday**

Jolene put some pressure on Tom by visiting Liz and having a harmless chat with her.

* * *

 **Monday**

After Diane Fowler had gone missing, she was replaced by Cooper's old friend, Tom Connolly, who was responsible for the task force from now on.

Cooper commissioned Meera to investigate Diane's disappearance but, instead, she investigated Diane's contacts. In her opinion there had to be a reason for allowing an attack like Garrick's, and she wanted to find out which.

In the meantime, Don received word that his former colleague and friend, Agent Raimo, had committed suicide in Japan.

"What was he doing in Japan?" Liz asked when he told her about it.

"The Bureau has a field office in Tokyo," Don said. "They think he was in despair because of his debts. But he loved his wife and his two little children. Would you really commit a ritual suicide because of some debts?"

* * *

When Tom met with Jolene at his safe house, he was furious. "Why the hell did you come to my house?"

She shrugged. "You didn't want to cooperate."

"My mission is already in danger, and _you_ just make it worse," he said aggressively. "Yes, Reddington is a problem. He threatened me, he sent a psychopath with a knife into my house. Because of that Liz found my go-bag, my passports, everything. I had to get myself out by exchanging the money with some that is traceable to Reddington. Now, it looks as if he had set me up, but I don't think she's completely convinced.

"You know, someone put cameras in that house," he went on, still upset. "Somebody was watching us, and it wasn't the FBI. I don't know if it was Reddington. It's possible. So, yes, he's a problem. But I think you are a problem, too."

"I just need to know where he is," Jolene said, "to find the best way to get to him."

"Well, he's here in D.C. Go out there and find him," Tom retorted and pointed to the door.

Unimpressed by his fierce words, Jolene studied the notes and pictures at the wall. Most of them were about Liz's childhood and possible connections of her adoptive father. "What the hell are you looking for?"

"I won't tell you. And I won't work with you." Tom folded his arm and looked at her deprecatingly.

"What's this?" She pointed to a drawing.

"The black site from memory. The unit she works for. But as far as I know the building was breached, and I think they moved. Liz said something about getting up earlier because her way to work is longer now. I hope for you, you weren't involved in this attack because of that we lost our asset! Now, we don't know anymore what they are doing. You have to leave now," he told her and pushed her towards the door. "I really don't need you."

Jolene didn't want to give up that soon. "What did you find out about Reddington?"

"Not much. As I told you, he's not part of my mission."

When they left the safe house, the Cowboy spotted them and made some pictures for Red.

* * *

 **Tuesday**

"I heard Agent Raimo was relieved of his viscera," Red said when he and Don met at a lonely place in Rock Creek Park.

"Do you...?" Don asked carefully.

"Oh come, Donald, I told you that I'm not interested in killing FBI agents." Red was a little hurt that Don was still distrustful or, at least, careful about him. "I came to discuss a former associate of mine who you arrested along the way, Mako Tanida." He told him what he knew about him and that he suspected him of taking vengeance. "I fear, Donald, that you're being hunted by a vengeful, ruthless killer."

"Are you really worried about me?" It was odd that, of all people in the world, Raymond Reddington tried to protect him.

"I should be worried if someone wants to kill you, shouldn't I?"

"No, I mean, why do you care? As you said, if I'm gone, someone else will take my place."

"It would be my blood that was spilt. I gave it to you, and it's running through your veins now," Red joked, before he added in a serious tone, "Because I like you, and because of your daughter."

* * *

Back at The Embassy Don briefed the team about Tanida. They began to investigate him, and found out that he was actually in the country. Then, they got word that Agent McGuire was found dead.

"I have to get them into protective custody," Don said and rushed out of the war room.

Liz and Cooper looked at each other, not sure who he was talking about.

* * *

Don took some agents with him and hurried to get home to bring Alice and Madita to FBI headquarters, but on their way there the little convoy was attacked by Tanida.

Ignoring Don's advice to stay in the car, Madita got out to have a look what was going on. Tanida took the advantage to shoot her before he fled the scene, while Don ran to Madita and tried to save her life, but she died almost immediately.

The agents who were with him tried to make him go to headquarters, but he had changed his mind. He cleaned himself from the blood as good as possible, then he turned the car with Alice in the back seat and drove in the opposite direction.

* * *

When the task force heard about the attack, Liz's first thought was that Madita was Don's girlfriend. _I knew he had a girlfriend_. She found herself being jealous. _How can I be jealous when she got shot and killed?_ she asked herself in the next second, appalled by her own feelings.

She was also awfully worried about him because he didn't drive to headquarters. Where was he? What was he up to?

 _I'm in love with him_ , she suddenly realized. _No, no, that's not possible_ , she told herself a second later, but she knew it was right. When did that happen? When she had had naughty thoughts about his ass? Or when she had longed for being in his arms while he was talking to her? And why? He had never given her any reason, and he definitely didn't flirt with her.

 _I feel safe with him_ , she thought. And it wasn't just because he had saved her life twice, it was an inner feeling of calmness and safety. She felt calm and understood when she was with him, and he was the first person ever, except Sam, she trusted.

"What's about his daughter?" she heard Meera ask. "Wasn't she in the car as well?"

It felt like someone stabbed her in the heart. "Daughter?"

"Yes, he has a five-year-old daughter," Meera told her, "Alice."

The way Don had spoken with Michael, the son of The Good Samaritan's latest victim, what he had told her about spending Christmas with a child, and the childish coffee mug. _Of course, he is a father!_ "So, Tanida killed the mother of the child?" Liz asked, feeling numb.

"No." Meera shook her head. "Madita was the au pair girl. He raises Alice as a single parent. I don't know what happened to Alice's mother. I think she died when Alice was born."

Liz felt somehow relieved. Although it was absolutely stupid to be married and to be in love with her supervisor at the same time, there was still some hope.

* * *

After Red had met with the Cowboy and told him to bring him Jolene, he met with Don again.

"Who was the young woman who was killed in your dust-up with Tanida?" Red asked.

"Madita, our au pair girl." Don felt guilty. Of course, he had told her to stay in the car, and it was her own fault that she got out, but he had been responsible for her safety.

"And now you want to hunt Tanida down." Red looked at him, displeased. "Donald, whatever you do don't kill Tanida to take vengeance. It won't make you happy. The only thing that might please you is to know that he's suffering in some dirty cell at a black site. Anything else will just drag you into the darkness and keep your heart from ever feeling the light again."

Don shook his head. "I wanna find him before he finds me, arrest him and put him in a deep, dark hole. That's the plan. So, I can burn the whole neighbourhood down, or you can tell me where he is."

Red was determined to protect the younger man. "It's not because of him. I don't care what will happen to him. It's because of you. You remind me a lot of myself before..." He broke off. "I don't want you to become like me."

When Red had told him the other day that he liked him, Don had been confused, but he also knew that Red was serious about it. Now, he behaved like a worried but strict father, and Don didn't know how to react. "I promise not to kill him."

Red knew that Don took promises seriously but, still, he didn't like the whole thing. "In your dust-up with Tanida where there any survivors? Injuries?"

"Yeah, one of the guys was shot. Why?"

"There's a house in Columbia Heights, doubles as an underground hospital, 1306 Girard. May be worth a visit."

Don nodded thankfully. "I need you to do me another favour," he said and went to his car.

Red waited next to his own car, wondering what Don would ask him for. When Don came back to him he was carrying Alice on his arms. For Red, it felt as if the world stood still for a moment. His knees felt weak, his heart seemed to skip a beat.

"She isn't safe with me at the moment. We were attacked on the way to FBI headquarters. Maybe Tanida is just waiting there for me to try it again. The last place he would look for her is you." It was an idea he had had on the spur of the moment. Now, he wasn't sure anymore. On the other hand, his instincts told him that Red would rather die than letting anything happen to Alice.

Red just stared at him, stunned. He couldn't believe that Don really entrusted him his child. He felt overwhelmed, was unable to speak. So, he just nodded.

Don put Alice on her own feet, then knelt in front of her. "You remember what I told you, sweetie, don't you? Be a good girl. I'll come back soon and get you, all right?"

She nodded, aware of that something very serious was going on.

"And always remember that I love you," Don said, then kissed her, got up and went to his car to take the child car seat from the back seat.

Dembe got out of the car and went over to him. "Wait. I'll help you." He took the seat and brought it to the back seat of the Mercedes, while Don gave Red Alice's bag. He sighed, hesitated.

"I promise you, Donald, I will let nothing happen to her," Red said, deeply moved. "I'll watch over her as if she was my own."

Don nodded. He caressed Alice's hair once again before he went to his car.

"Well, little lady," Red said to Alice, "let's have a great time, shall we?" He helped Alice in the car and said to Dembe, "Send Samar after him. Just observe, only step in when he gets in danger or is about to shoot someone."

Dembe nodded and reached for his phone.

Red smiled at Alice. "We'll keep your dad safe and bring him back to you, okay? And look," he took the little lion out of the pocket of his jacket, "I've kept my promise."

* * *

While Don teamed up with Bobby Jonica to track Tanida down, Liz drove to Don's house. To her surprise he lived in Georgetown, in a so-called "better area" with some expensive looking family homes near Rock Creek Park.

She thought that the house was lovely with its white and blue wooden front, the cosy porch and the trees in the front garden. She liked it right away.

She had been prepared to that no one would be at home, but the door was answered by an older lady. In the first moment Liz thought it was Don's mother, but she remembered that he had told her she was dead.

"Don isn't here," the woman said. "He came here earlier to bring Madita and Alice to FBI headquarters. Since then, I haven't heard of him."

"And you are?"

"Evelyn Lowry, I'm the housekeeper." The lady smiled at her. She was a motherly woman with a friendly face and grey hair. "Do you want to come in?"

Liz overcame the temptation to have a look at the house. "No, thanks, I've to go back. I need to find him."

* * *

In the meantime, Red was having a strange time with Alice at the D.C. zoo. Of course, most parts of the zoo were closed due to the weather, but there were some houses they could visit, and as he had had no other idea what to do with the child it was the first thing that had come to his mind.

First, Alice had been shy, but now she warmed up and began to ask questions. Questions Red had no adequate answers to. He was sure that Donald wouldn't like it if Alice knew what he was doing. And Red was many things, but he wasn't a liar. It got him into trouble now.

"Why is he so far away from us?" Alice asked, glancing in Dembe's direction, when they entered the bird house. "Doesn't he want to be with us?"

"He has to watch the area," Red tried to explain. "He's my bodyguard."

She looked surprised. "Are you somehow an important person?"

"Something like that," he was vague.

"Are you a pop singer?"

He laughed. "No, singing is not one of my strengths."

"So, what are you doing then?" she insisted.

Red felt cold sweat on his forehead. "I'm a business man."

"Must be a dangerous business if you need a bodyguard," Alice said.

He tried to distract her with the animals, told her their names and a few stories. After a while he felt more and more like her grandfather, and he was deeply moved when she took his hand to drag him to something she had discovered.

He felt disturbed when Liz called him and wanted to meet. He knew Donald would be safe with Samar tailing him, but he gave in and accepted to meet with her.

He and Dembe brought Alice to the hotel Luli had checked them in. Of course, they couldn't bring Alice to one of their safe houses.

"You live in a hotel?" Alice asked him when they entered the suite.

Now, Red felt in distress again. "Sometimes."

"But you do have a house?"

"Some, but they aren't as nice as this one."

But she wasn't fooled by his try to distract her from the question. "Are you homeless?"

 _Oh God, she's really Donald's daughter_ , Red thought. _Empathizing, caring..._ "Somehow, but I'm fine. As you can see I don't sleep in the street." He introduced her to Luli and told her that he had an appointment.

"Are you married with each other?" Alice asked, looking from Red to Luli.

"No, I just work for him," Luli replied.

"Are you a housekeeper?"

"I'm," she hesitated, "something like a secretary."

Alice turned to Red. "Don't you have any friends? I mean, if you don't have a home, they can't visit you."

"Dembe and Luli work for me, but they are also my friends," Red assured her. "We have friends all over the world. Wherever we go, we'll meet someone we know."

It made her think which gave Red an opportunity to leave.


	14. Episode 11 - Mako Tanida Pt2

"Where is Don?" Liz asked out of breath when she got into Red's car. "I know he came to you, I know you sent him after Tanida."

"No, in fact, I tried to talk him out of it," Red retorted, noticing with a silent amusement that she called her supervisor by his first name. Again. Maybe there was still some hope for her. "But he wanted to get him before Tanida gets him. So I provided a bit of direction in an otherwise blind pursuit."

"He's not like you. He can't just murder someone in cold blood and come out of it okay on the other end." She was really worried about Don and just wanted him to be safe.

"No one can murder someone in cold blood and come out okay on the other end," Red replied. Who would know this better than him?

"We need your help," Liz begged him. "We have to find Tanida before Ressler does. He might do something stupid and," she hesitated, unsure whether she should tell Red about Don's daughter, "he has a little girl. She's missing, too."

"No, she's with me."

"What?!" Liz stared at him in surprise.

"Obviously, Donald trusts me more than you do," Red said with a little ironic smile. He also felt somehow proud. Don's faith in him was not at all a matter of course.

"And now she's where? In one of your safe houses?" Liz couldn't imagine him with a child. _What a crazy idea of Don leaving his daughter with Red!_

"You might laugh, but we went to the zoo, and now she's with Luli at a hotel. No safe house, no strange environment. And I would like to go back now," Red said, glancing at his watch. "You should find out who's running Tanida's empire now. It's not the brother. Aiko Tanida died the day when his brother was captured by Donald's task force."

* * *

Elsewhere Tom saved Jolene from the Cowboy and brought both of them to his safe house. When he found out that the Cowboy had been sent by Reddington, he was furious.

"Do you know that this whole thing is because of you?" he yelled at Jolene. "You followed Reddington before, didn't you?"

Jolene shrugged. "Yes. I had to go dark when he discovered me."

"Did you disappear with the help of The Alchemist?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Tom laughed scornfully. "Great! That's why Reddington let the task force take Wujing and The Alchemist down. He was looking for you!"

"What are you talking about?" Jolene asked confused.

"He used the cases to track you down, to get to you. That means you're compromised. And that means that it is only a matter of time before your trail leads to me." He pointed to the Cowboy. "He sent this guy after you. And now you two are here. In _my_ safe house."

He made Jolene call Liz to disengage, then he killed her and the Cowboy.

* * *

When Red returned to the hotel suite he heard Alice and Luli giggling in the living room. He smiled, until he saw that they were playing ballerinas. It was like a slap in the face, and his smile became forced. "Are you taking ballet classes?" he asked Alice.

She nodded. "And piano classes."

Just like his daughter. On the spur of the moment he took the little musical clock with the ballerina out of one of the bags he was carrying from safe house to safe house and gave it to Alice. "It belonged to my daughter, but I guess you have a better usage for it."

"It's beautiful!" Alice exclaimed in delight.

Red showed her how it worked, and they both watched the ballerina "dance" to the music. For a little moment he felt thirty years younger, remembering when he had watched the ballerina together with his daughter.

"She's dead, right?" Alice suddenly asked, destroying the magic moment. "Your daughter. She died."

Red's eyes filled with tears. He preferred not to answer, looked away. He knew, however, that his reaction was answer enough for Alice. Somehow he couldn't hide anything from this child.

Suddenly, Alice climbed on his lap and huddled against him. "I'm sad that Madita is gone," she said. "Daddy didn't say, but I know she's dead. My grandparents say that people go to heaven when they die. But I don't think it's true."

For a moment Red was unable to move or to answer. It seemed ages that a child had sat on his lap. He didn't dare to touch her, for fear of he might hurt her. He fought back his tears. "Why not?"

"Because you wouldn't see the sun anymore if the sky was full of people," she explained with the pure logic of a child.

"It is... it is more a metaphor. It's a sky you can't see."

Alice thought about it for a moment. "Do you believe that?"

"Not really," Red admitted.

"Grandpa and Grandma say that my mom is in heaven and is watching me. But I don't think so. She is there for them. They still have her clothes and stuff." She kept talking, tried to explain what her grandparents were doing. "They think I should live with them, but they just want me to be like my mom. But I never knew my mom. And they think my dad can't look after me because of his work, you know? When I told him he said I don't need to see them anymore. But I know they tried several times."

Red understood that Audrey's parents obviously tried to get the right of custody for Alice, something the child didn't want at all because they treated her as the daughter they had lost, not as their granddaughter. Madita's death would redound to their advantage.

"Don't you worry," he said, caressing her hair. "I'm sure, your dad can look after you, and everything's gonna be all right."

* * *

After Don and Jonica had found out where Tanida was hiding, they headed there and arrested him. It was a long way back to D.C. which they spent in silence, until Jonica suddenly turned into a street that lead into the woods.

"Where are you going to?" Don asked. "This is not the way to D.C."

"We should do it our way, Donnie," Jonica told him. "I have a cabin up there. We can have a nice little chat there with Tanida."

"It was you," Tanida realized. He told Don about the night of the arrest and the death of his brother.

"What did you do?" Don asked Jonica, suddenly realizing that something was completely wrong. "And what are you doing right now?"

"He's gonna kill both of us!" Tanida warned him, and Don thought that he was probably right. When he tried to get the gun from Jonica the car crashed.

* * *

In the meantime, the team had found out that Bobby Jonica was the one who killed Tanida's brother and was running his empire now. Meera found out that Jonica had a cabin somewhere in Virginia. They assumed that Don and Jonica might have gone there with Tanida, and headed there.

* * *

After they had crashed the car, Don followed Jonica into the woods, watched by Samar from a safe distance. She was about to step in when she saw that Don had a gun, but when they started talking she decided to keep on observing.

"You gotta understand me, Donnie, I'm chasing scumbags all around the world making millions of dollars, and..."

"Don't!" Don cut him short. He couldn't believe that his best friend was a dirty cop, and it filled him with rage. "You brought this down on us, on Pete, and on Sam. You are responsible for that Tanida killed a girl whose safety I was supposed to guarantee. What am I gonna tell her parents? She was shot and killed because you are a dirty cop, a murderer." He shook his head in disbelief and disgust. " _You_ are scum! You are even worse than Tanida. So, let's get back to D.C. where you'll get your due."

Jonica shook his head. "No, you're gonna have to shoot me first. A dirty cop. You know what they'll do to me in prison. I can't do that. Come on, you're my best friend."

"Best friend." Don laughed scornfully. "What kind of friend are you when you betray and lie? And I think Tanida is right, you were gonna kill both of us."

He was about to reach for his cell phone, when Jonica suddenly said, "I killed Audrey."

"What?!"

"I killed her and Endrizzo Palmer and then made it look like as if he killed her and was hired by Reddington. We confiscated some of Reddington's money in Brussels, you remember? Well, I got it from the evidence locker and placed it in Palmer's apartment."

Don was speechless for a moment. All he remembered was that Jonica had been at his side after Audrey had been killed and Alice was born. _And the entire time he knew... How can someone be so hypocritical?_ "Why did you do that?"

Jonica shrugged. "I was paid by someone who wanted Reddington dead."

"Who?"

"I'd rather die than to expose them," Jonica replied.

Don was filled with rage, disappointment, grief, and many other emotions. He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself down. Otherwise, he probably had shot Jonica on the spur of the moment.

In that moment, Liz and Meera arrived. Liz was glad to see Don alive and well. Tanida, who was still in the car, tied with handcuffs, was hurt but alive. But it seemed as if Don had found out about Jonica in the meantime. She hoped he wouldn't do anything stupid.

When she got closer she realized once again how attractive he was, especially in casual wear. And, yes, damn it, she really had deep feelings for him. She couldn't deny it.

"They are all dead because of me, Donnie," Jonica said, trying to make Don shoot him.

Don remembered Red's words. He also had to think about Alice. He didn't want her to grow up with her grandparents. "No. You know what? I'll put you in the worst prison I can find and make sure that all your cellmates know what you've done. They'll love you," he said with a cold smile.

He put the gun down and gave to Liz, who took a deep breath in relief, and wanted to walk back to the street. But before Liz and Meera could reach Jonica to arrest him, he took out a ritual knife, which he had taken with him for Tanida, and committed suicide.

Don found that Red was right. It didn't make him happy. In fact, he thought that this was much too easy, no real punishment. Yes, he felt frustration about Jonica's suicide.

"You never told me you had a daughter," Liz said when they walked back to the cars.

"You didn't ask," he replied, more unfriendly than intended, and he shook off her hand when she tried to console him. Tears were burning in his eyes. He didn't want to talk to anyone, especially not to her. He didn't want to cry in front of her.

For Liz it was like a slap in the face. It was so stupid of her being in love with him. He had told her twice that he was her supervisor, not her partner or her buddy. She was also still married. Still. Although she knew that her feelings for Don were probably wasted she arrived at a decision in that moment: she had to end the relationship with Tom.

"I'm sorry." Don realized that he had been too harsh. "I've to go and get her."

She just nodded and watched him walking to one of the cars.

* * *

"She fell asleep during the ride," Red said with a smile and opened the door to the back seat of the car.

Don put Alice on his arms and held her, while Dembe brought the child car seat back to Don's car. Don put Alice into it, then kissed her on the forehead. She mumbled something, but didn't wake up. Quietly he shut the door and turned to Red.

"Alice told me about her grandparents," Red said. "I guess, Madita's death gets you into trouble?"

"Oh yeah." Don sighed. "They'll try to use it. They tried to take her away from me right after she was born. But I bought the house, employed a housekeeper and an au pair girl, so the court was on my side. But now... I feel guilty because of Madita. Her parents sent her here to learn, and now I'm sending her back in a coffin."

"It's not your fault, Donald."

"It's my job that killed her. And my job was always their main argument against me." Don took a deep breath, but he was still upset. "Jonica... He not only killed Tanida's brother, he also... He was the one who shot and killed Audrey and Palmer and set you up." He was breathing heavily, when he went on, "He knew she was pregnant, he knew that we were looking forward to the baby... And then, he... he pretended to be my best friend, handed out advice..." His voice broke, and to his anger and shame he couldn't hold back his tears any longer.

Red empathized with him and took him in his arms. He stroked his back, fatherly, trying to console him. He knew so well how Don was feeling right now. It was as if his fate recurred. Red hadn't been much older than Don when his life had been turned upside down for a similar reason.

Don couldn't believe that he was crying in the arms of the man he had once hated so much because he had to believe he had been the one who killed Audrey. And now it had been his alleged best friend, while Reddington consoled him like a father.

"I had never any time to grieve," Don said. "Audrey died, then Alice was there. She was in the hospital for two months, you know, and in the beginning they weren't sure whether she would survive. Audrey's parents raised a quarrel, there were thousand things to do. How could he do that? How could he even dare to look me in the eyes after killing her?"

"Be glad you didn't kill him," Red mumbled. "You would have regretted it."

Don looked at him in sudden understanding. "That's why you killed Mays. He did something evil like that."

Red nodded. "Yes. But it was the biggest mistake of my life. I didn't feel any relief, any pleasure, any satisfaction. Nothing got better afterwards. It just got worse. I will have to live with it for the rest of my life. I would have gone to prison for the rest of my life. Now I'm on the run for the rest of my life. While he is simply dead. He doesn't regret, he isn't suffering. Believe me, Donald, taking revenge by killing someone is the worst thing you can do." He wiped away the tears from the cheeks of the younger man and smiled at him fatherly. "Too bad Jonica killed himself."

"You sent someone after me," Don understood.

"Just in case. I didn't want you to make the same mistake. Otherwise, you couldn't look after your daughter." Red paused before he changed the subject, "Do you have any contact to the Ferrent family?"

"The family of my mother?" Don asked in surprise. "No. The contact broke off when my grandmother died. I never liked my uncle. He's such a greedy slick. He was even jealous of the little money I inherited. I mean, little in opposite to the amount he got. Once or twice a year I see my cousin Natalie. That's all. Why do you ask?"

"It's nothing." Red smiled and stroked the arm of the younger man. "I've to go now. I have an appointment."

"Thanks for keeping her safe."

"Thanks for trusting me, Donald," Red replied, deeply moved. "You gave me the greatest gift I've received in years. I can't tell you how much it means to me. If you need anything, let me know."

When Red watched the ballet later, he remembered the ballet in 1987, but in some moments he also saw Alice dancing with Luli in the living room of the suite.

* * *

In the meantime, Tom buried the bodies of Jolene and the Cowboy in the woods. He made it home before Liz arrived.

On her way home, she had thought over her situation. She should make some plans, before she told Tom it was over. _I should rent an apartment_ , she thought. _Or should I simply pack my things and check in a hotel? What if Tom really works for someone? Shouldn't I find out before I leave him?_

When she arrived at home, she was only sure about one thing: if she wanted to move forward in her life, she had to do something about it.

They met in the dining room, and both of them pretended that everything was fine.

* * *

When Don put Alice to bed, she woke up. "Is everything all right now?" she asked sleepy.

"Yeah, sweetie, everything's all right." He lay down next to her, still commiserating of the events of that day, feeling tired and bruised. Every time he lay down with her he was in danger of falling asleep and of waking up in the middle of the night, tensed up, because her bed was too small. But he felt that they both needed some consolation right now.

"We went to the zoo," she told him and huddled against him, glad to have him back. "They are nice, but they are also kinda strange. They don't have a real home but live in a hotel." She kept on telling him what she had experienced that day. "He gave me a musical clock with a ballerina," she finally said. Of course, she got up and took it from her bag to show it to him. "It was his daughter's before she died."

Don frowned. "Red's daughter is alive."

Alice shook her head, being absolutely sure about it. "I asked him whether she's dead. He didn't answer, but I saw the tears in his eyes."

 _Maybe he's just missing Jennifer and regrets that he abandoned her_ , Don thought. Nevertheless, it was pretty strange. He had learned that Alice was mostly right about people.


	15. Episode 12 - Tom Keen

_This is not the Tom Keen episode of season 2 but goes along with the events in season 1._

* * *

 **February, 2015**

 **Wednesday**

"Now I know why you are often late in the morning," Liz said with a smile when Don entered their office half an hour too late the next morning. She felt insecure, didn't know how to deal with him, and tried to be as neutral as possible.

"Important questions in the morning," he replied, also with a smile. He put his things on his desk. "Listen, I'm sorry I was rude to you yesterday. I was upset." He hesitated, but he felt it was important for her to understand, "He killed Alice's mother."

"What?!" Liz was shocked. "I thought he was your friend. Okay, he took over Tanida's empire, and he was a dirty cop, but why would he do that?"

"Remember when you asked me whether my trust has ever been betrayed?" Don poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at his desk.

Liz suppressed a smile when she remembered her thoughts about his coffee mug. Who would give a man like him a childish mug like this one? - His five-year-old daughter! She wished she would know her or, at least, know what she looked like, but she didn't dare to ask him to show her a picture. "Why did he do that?"

"He was paid by someone who wanted me to track Red down and kill him. Five years I believed that Red was the one who hired someone to shoot my fiancé. That day in the box, you know, it turned out that Red had nothing to do with it. But I would have never, absolutely never, assumed it was Jonica."

"Who paid Jonica to kill her?" Liz asked.

Don shrugged. "He didn't want to tell. Mighty people. Guess we'll find out one day."

"Did you leave your daughter with Red because he wasn't the one who murdered her mother?" She had thought about that a lot, but she still couldn't understand it.

"No." Don shook his head. "First, it was the last place Tanida would look for her. Second, because of Leon."

"Leon?"

"It's a character Alice created. She insisted giving it to Red because he saved my life. In Alice's fantasy Leon is someone who helps other people or animals, and finds solution for all kinds of problems," he explained to her. "Giving a handmade figure to someone who had done something special is like awarding a medal. I couldn't tell her that Red is a criminal so I had to let her do it. And he was honestly moved. So I knew he would rather die than let anything happen to her."

Liz felt deeply moved herself. It was so sweet how Don was talking about his daughter. He seemed to take her and her needs very seriously. It was cute that the little girl insisted on awarding medals to everyone who had done something special. And she was surprised to hear that there was someone who could actually move Red. "He told me he went to the zoo with her," she said.

"Yeah." Don laughed. "Strange imagination, right? Especially... Alice can be pretty exhausting. I don't think Red had a real good time."

"Why is that?" Liz got up, went over to him and leaned against his desk. She had to be close to him when she was going to tell him what she had decided.

"She's the best interrogator I know," he replied with a smile, "and she wasn't satisfied by his answers."

"Poor Red," she joked. Then, she took a deep breath and changed the subject, "I'm gonna leave Tom. I don't love him anymore. Or not enough. Or maybe I never did. I realized it when I wasn't sure whether he really is who I think he is. I tried to get through with the adoption, however, because I always wanted to have a family, you know? Someone who belongs to me. I didn't want to give up that dream, but I know it was a bad idea."

"You felt lonely," Don assumed, "and he was the one who could help your dreams come true."

"Yes." Liz wished he would take her in his arms. Right now she felt very lonely, and he was the only one who could soothe her soul. "I was about to pack my things and move to a hotel, but then I thought that Red is maybe right, and he didn't set Tom up, but Tom really _is_ hiding something. I think I should try to find out before I start a new life. Would you help to investigate him?"

"Sure." Don thought that she was at least courageous. If she left Tom, she would be alone and on her own, without family or friends. "But where do you wanna start? It's difficult to prove that the box belongs to him."

"We could ask Red what he knows," Liz suggested. "He's the one who keeps saying that there's something wrong with my husband."

* * *

 **Next week, March, 2015, Monday**

"Why did you change your mind?" Red asked, a little distrustful, when he met with Liz and Don in one of his safe houses.

"I had the same doubts all of you had. Right from the beginning," Liz said. "When I found the box I knew it was his. But I didn't _want_ to believe it. I'm gonna leave him, but maybe there's a chance to find out who he really is and who he works for." She looked at him, bantering. "You said you would give me answers when he's no longer part of my life."

"And how can I be sure that you're not just telling me that you want to investigate him?" Red asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You can't," she admitted, "but it is the truth. Well, at least, you could tell us what you know about Tom."

Red looked at her, then at Don, before he finally said, "Not much. All I could find out was that he bought the passports in Warsaw and that Gina Zanetakos is his lover. I didn't hire her to kill Viktor Fokin, by the way. I suspect, however, that he works for the guy who probably killed your parents or that he works for someone who heard about the rumours."

"What rumours?" Liz was excited to hear something about her past finally.

"I don't know the whole truth," Red said. "Only parts of it. I've been spending the past 25 years piecing the puzzle together, and I still don't know what the picture looks like." There were also parts he was unable to tell her. He knew he had to do it one day, and he feared that day.

"You are probably Beatrice Younes," he went on, "the daughter of Angus and Helen Younes, leader of a big European criminal syndicate. When they were murdered - or when they disappeared, I'm not completely sure that it was them and that they are really dead - someone took over their syndicate, but he is hiding behind shell companies and stooges. I couldn't find out what the core of the business is, or what it was at the time when Angus Younes was running it.

"I think that this guy murdered your parents in order to take over their business but, in the end, I've not the slightest clue who he is or what he is really up to. What I do know is that there were rumours that your mother gave something to you before she died. And I guess the reason Tom is in your life is whatever she gave to you."

"That's why he was always so interested in my childhood," Liz said.

Red nodded. "That's why Sam suspected him. Before he died he told me that there's probably something wrong with your husband."

"You knew my adoptive father?"

"We were friends," Red replied, "for many, many years. We met long before you were born."

"You brought Liz to him," Don understood. "You saved her from the fire and brought her to Sam."

Red remembered the little girl standing in a corner of the burning room, staring at him with big, fearful eyes. "Yes." He turned to Liz. "It's the only thing connecting us. I had never seen you before in my life, and I could only guess who you were."

"Why Elizabeth?" she asked. "When my real name is Beatrice?"

Red gave a little shrug. "To keep you safe. You were obviously called Trishy. That was the name you told us. Sam made Lizzie from it, so everyone thought your name was Elizabeth."

"And it was Sam who was suspicious about Tom?"

"Yes. He sent me a message when he knew he was going to die."

It was a good feeling to know that her adoptive father was still watching over her somehow. "Do you know what my mother gave to me?"

"I have an idea," Red replied, "but I'm not sure, and if it is what I think it is, it's probably pretty dangerous for you to have it."

"I can't think of anything I could have." Liz shrugged. "I can't even remember my mom." She saw that Red obviously wasn't going to share his knowledge about the rumours with them, so she asked, "Do you have any idea how we could find out who Tom works for?"

"I have reason to believe that he killed a spy named Lucy Brooks, also known as Jolene Parker, and the guy I hired to find Jolene Parker."

"The substitute teacher?" Liz asked in surprise.

"The young and attractive one?" Don asked with a grin.

"Lucy Brooks followed me some time ago," Red explained. "When I noticed her, she disappeared to finally turn up again as Jolene Parker. When she disappeared again, together with the man I had hired to bring her to me, I was sure Tom has something to do with it. They either work for the same people, and he feared she was going to expose him, or she got into his way."

It made Liz shiver that Tom, obviously, really was a murderer. "She called me a few days ago," she remembered and reached for her cell phone. "Maybe we can find out where she was when she made this phone call."

"And we could report her missing," Red suggested. "As she worked with Tom at the same school the Metro Police will talk to him. Maybe he gets nervous and makes a mistake."

"We could watch him and see where he leads us to," Don said. "Maybe he has a safe house somewhere."

"Craig and Nicki," Liz said, "his alleged brother and cousin. Their cover might be as deep as Tom's, but maybe they are a weak link. It's our wedding anniversary on Saturday. I could invite them for a party and get their DNA and fingerprints."

Red was pleased. Now things really got in motion. "This here also might help." He got up, took a bag from a chair in a corner of the room and took out a few DVDs.

"What's that?"

"Surveillance footage from the man with the apple. Maybe you'll discover something curious about your husband." Red smiled deviously.

* * *

"Are you sure you can pretend that everything is fine?" Don asked Liz when they left Red's safe house and went to their car. "I mean, Tom's a possible murderer." He was worried about her. _Who knows how Tom might react when he feels found out?_

She took a deep breath. "I think I can handle it." She got into the car and thought for a moment. "Beatrice Younes. I can't believe that I actually have a real name."

"It sounds French," Don said. "Maybe the fire really happened somewhere in Europe during one of Red's covert missions as a Naval Intelligence Officer."

"Can you try to find out anything about my parents?" she begged him.

"I doubt that I'll be successful, but I'll try," he promised.

After a moment of silence Liz asked, "Do you think he will ever tell us what happened that night?"

Don thought for a moment while he was focussing on driving. "I think that something really evil happened to him. I mean, look, he was a good guy once. He served this country. And suddenly he murdered his best friend and turned into a villain. He told me he killed Mays to take vengeance, probably on the spur of the moment. I think he was hurt badly. Maybe it's so bad that it is hard to tell."

* * *

 **Tuesday**

They were able to trace back Jolene's last call. It lead Liz to Tom's safe house. He saw her coming and was able to destroy most of the evidence, but it was obvious to her that she had found his hiding place.

However, they decided not to touch it at the moment. With his fingerprints all over the place it was easy to tie him to the safe house as soon as it was necessary, but right now it wouldn't help them to find out who he was working for.

* * *

 **Wednesday**

A detective of the Metro Police turned up at the Keens' house and asked about Jolene. Both Liz and Tom pretended to have no idea what could have happened to her.

Later that day, Liz saw in one of the surveillance videos that Tom hid something inside a lamp. It turned out as a key for a deposit box, and she had a copy make before she put it back.

In the meantime, Don got word from the au pair agency: they refused to send another girl to him.

* * *

 **Thursday**

Mr. Kaplan found the bodies of Jolene and the Cowboy. Now, they were able to tie Tom to the murder as soon as they would process evidence in his safe house.

Samar followed Tom to a drop off point and got hold of a code book. It would take a while to decode the messages in the book, though.

* * *

 **Saturday**

Nicki didn't come to the wedding anniversary party, but Craig turned up so Liz could get his fingerprints and DNA. She felt like a whore when Tom made her have sex with him later, but she didn't dare to refuse because she feared he might get suspicious.

* * *

 **Sunday**

Liz, Red and Dembe had a little "chat" with Craig, or Christopher Maly what was his real name. They agreed that this was a mission they shouldn't tell Don about. At least, not in detail.

Craig didn't tell them anything, until Tom called him.

"Did you find out anything about Berlin?" Tom asked him.

"No, nothing yet," Craig replied.

"But you asked The Major about it, didn't you?"

"I was about to do it. Give me two hours, all right?"

After Tom had hung up, Red asked Craig, "Who or what is in Berlin, Christopher?"

"I don't know. There was this girl, Jolene, she said she was working for a guy named Berlin, and asked Tom to work together. It has nothing to do with our mission."

"And what's your mission? Who is the Major?"

But Craig preferred to jump out of the window instead of answering.

* * *

Later that day, Don and Red met in a park. It was Don who had asked for the meeting, and Red had feared he would ask questions about Craig, but Don had Alice with him and something completely different on his mind.

They sat down on a bench at a playground, and while Alice was playing with other children, Don said, "I need a new au pair girl. All agencies I asked turned me down because they are afraid of the girls wouldn't be safe with me. And without an au pair girl Audrey's parents will try again to get the right of custody for Alice." He had been at odds with himself whether he should really ask Red for help, but finally he had decided to do it for Alice.

"Are you sure they will go to court?" Red asked.

Don laughed scornfully. "I'm really sorry for them because they can't get over Audrey's death, but they are obsessed with the idea Alice should live with them. They came to my house this morning, wanted to see Alice. I told them that she didn't want to see them. Of course, they didn't believe me that it is Alice's wish not to see them and, of course, they had heard about Madita. They threatened me to get a lawyer. I told them I would get another girl soon, but I don't know how."

"I'll think of something," Red said, feeling honoured that Don trusted him enough to ask him.

"It has to be something legal," Don remarked.

Red was equally offended and amused. "Donald, I may be morally degenerated, I may have lost my way, and I may be able to do things I detest about myself, but I recognize a decent man when I see one. I would _never_ do anything that could hurt you or get you into trouble. I definitely wouldn't send a runaway or a criminal to your house."

* * *

 **Monday**

When Liz tried to plant a GPS-sender on Tom, he noticed it and realized that he was compromised. He left the house, called his employer and told him that he had to be evacuated. Red's team followed him to a safe house, a concrete bunker secured by some heavily armed guys.


	16. Episode 13 - The Pavlovich Brothers

**March, 2015**

 **Wednesday**

When Red heard that the Pavlovich Brothers were back in town, he had the idea of using them to get Tom out of his safe house. Of course, he didn't tell the task force about his plans when he gave them the case.

The Pavlovich Brothers case _(no essential changes)_.

* * *

 **Thursday**

 _Ongoing investigation._

In the evening, Red came by to look after Liz. "Aren't there any friends you could call or you could stay with?" He knew she hadn't anyone, but he was worried about her although she was astonishingly calm.

"Why do you think I was such easy prey for him?" she asked with an ironic smile. "I always had difficulties to get close to people. And Tom..." She didn't go on.

"He made it easy for you," Red understood. He felt that she had changed her mind for a special reason but, probably, it was too early to enquire. "We were able to decode Tom's code book." He gave her a copy.

Liz read it carefully. It was mainly about her childhood, every single word she had ever told Tom about how she was found back then, about the night of the fire. In the end, it wasn't much. At least, it was obvious now that it was really about that night and about something she obviously had, although she had no recollection of it.

There was a list with friends of Sam, and speculations about who might have brought Liz to him, but without any concrete result.

" _June mentioned someone named Maryann_ ," Tom wrote, " _couldn't find any connection to Sam, but probably important._ " Someone else wrote back, " _Couldn't find anyone with this name._ "

"Who's Maryann?" Liz asked.

"You should have a pet," Red distracted her from the question and gazed around in the lonely rooms downstairs.

"I had a dog. It died in December, around Christmas," Liz said, "and now I can't have another one because of my job. Poor thing would be alone the entire day, and now there's no one who could look after it when I'm not home." She sighed and went on reading.

There was a list of the things she had brought from Nebraska, with the remark that there was nothing in them. And there was information about the first cases of the task force. It suddenly stopped when their " _asset was compromised_."

"Tom and his people kidnapped Aram's sister and blackmailed him," Liz understood. She was horrified.

Red nodded. "You didn't tell him what you were doing so he had to find another way."

"They destroyed the life of a young woman," Liz said, upset. "I spoke with Aram a few weeks ago, and he said she's still in therapy, badly shaken up. They destroyed his career." She was angry, and she wished she could make Tom suffer for what he had done.

* * *

 **Friday**

Her desire was fulfilled the next day, when the Pavlovich Brothers "delivered" Tom to her. 

"I was going to leave you anyway," Liz said when she sat down at the table in the dining room, throwing an angry look at Tom. "I realized that I don't love you anymore, maybe I never did. But what you've done... nothing, no sentence, no punishment, no revenge could ever come close to making up for what you've done. You lied to me, you made me believe you were interested in me, that you wanted to have a child with me!"

"Not all of it was a lie." Tom felt guilty and sorry for her. "I was supposed to be a good friend. Nothing more. When you fell for me..." He broke off, hesitated. "I liked the idea of being in a committed relationship, being married, having a family. With you. I do like you, Liz. I don't love you, that's true, but I never... I liked all this." He looked around. "Our house, being a teacher, being your husband, and I was really looking forward to the baby although I knew it was a bad idea. I think we both were living an illusion."

She knew he was telling the truth. There had been moments when it had been too real to be faked. She was glad about it, equally she was filled with rage. "But you approached me to find out where whatever-you-are-looking-for is. For no other reason. What are you looking for?"

Tom shook his head. "I'm not gonna tell you that."

"What's your real name?"

He hesitated. He was risking his life by telling her anything at all. "Jacob," he finally said.

"Do you have a last name, Jacob?"

"Won't tell you."

"How did you get into this?" Liz asked. "I mean, who are you that you apply for a job like that?"

Tom knew he owed her an answer, but he was also obligated to his handler and his employer. "I was in foster care, then I ended up on the street. I was fourteen when I was recruited and trained to be..."

"A spy?" she asked, when he didn't go on. Somehow she felt sorry for him. On the other hand, she was still disappointed and angry. He had written things down she had told him in intimate hours, and he had shown his notes to someone she didn't know.

"Something like that. I never had a home," he said. "That's why I liked this job so much. You know, having an ordinary life and someone who cared about me." He smiled.

She believed him, but it didn't make her feel any better. "Who do you work for?"

"Won't tell you."

"Who's the Major? Is he the one you work for?"

Again Tom hesitated. "I guess you heard my telephone conversation with Craig." His smile was forced. "The Major is my handler, not my employer." He knew he had gone too far with this information. On the other hand, she had already heard about The Major.

They were interrupted when Don called her about the case. Liz spoke with Red, then with Don again. When she came back to the table, Tom asked, "What's Reddington's obsession with you? What is his connection to you? You guys have a daddy-daughter-thing going on? Or did you want to leave me because of him? Are you in love with him because he promised you a better life?"

Liz just flashed an angry glance at him.

"Or is it because of your colleague?" he asked. "That uptight guy you asked to arrest me? I bet he's a paragon of consistency and integrity. It's probably something you like. He could offer you all those things you couldn't have with me." He was even a little jealous.

"It's not your business," she said, feeling found out. "Not anymore."

"And what's your plan now? Is your agent friend coming over to arrest me? Or will you ask Reddington for help? Is he gonna make me talk?"

Liz shook her head. "No, he's not. I am."

She tried to get the name of his employer out of him by breaking his thumb. Following that, they had a huge fight, until Tom could get hold of her gun and made her handcuff herself.

"I'm really sorry," Tom said, and he meant it. "I should have never accepted this job. Part of me never wanted it to work. But it did. And this is the state of affairs now. My job was never to hurt you, Liz. Reddington-he's a really bad guy. I wouldn't trust him if I were you. I can prove it. The key in the lamp, I know you found it. Take it to Radford Bank, box number 3929. He's not who you think he is."

* * *

After she had freed herself and calmed herself down, Liz went to the Radford Bank. In the deposit box she found surveillance footage with time stamps and a report from the hospital about the approximated time of Sam's death. _Red was in the room when Sam died!_

She headed to his safe house immediately. "Did you kill my father? Did you kill Sam?" She threw the evidence on the table.

Red sighed. Tom was really better organized than he had thought. Now, there wasn't any way out of it. "Yes. Because he asked me to."

"What?!" She couldn't believe what she heard.

"I told you he sent me a message. He asked me to keep you safe and to find out whether Tom was harmless or was working for someone. And he asked me to end it for him. He was dying, Lizzie, every part of his body was failing. He'd asked to be disconnected from all the machines. He was in pain and suffering. I tried to make him wait for you so you could say goodbye, but he didn't want you to see him in this condition. I loved Sam, Lizzie. Taking his life was... Of all the difficult things that I've done that was..." His voice broke, and his eyes filled with tears. He was filled by an inner pain, forced himself to go on, "Maybe the most."

"I don't know if I'm able to believe you," Liz said. "I don't understand why he wouldn't say goodbye to me. Was there anything he wanted to tell me, but you didn't want me to know?"

Red shook his head. "No. Sam's involvement was only as your father. He didn't know anything he could have told you."

She was still distrustful. "I lost Tom," she changed the subject, "he's gone."

"No," Red replied. "My people are following him now."

She nodded, overwhelmed by the events of the day. "Fine." She turned and rushed out of the room. She had to be alone now.

But when she came home and saw the damaged rooms downstairs, she knew that she couldn't stay here and that she couldn't be alone. At least not tonight.

* * *

Don was surprised when he opened the front door and recognized Liz.

"I didn't know where else to go." She felt insecure, wasn't sure how he would react.

It seemed there had been a development in the meantime, and that something bad had happened. She looked shaken up, scared and confused. He gestured her to come in.

When Liz entered the house she loved it at once. It was cosy and friendly, as big as it looked from the outside with a lot of space, bright colours and light wood. It was definitely a family home.

Alice came running from the dining room to see who had come. In the first moment she reacted shy, but when Liz smiled at her she smiled back.

 _Oh my God, she looks pretty much like her father_ , Liz thought in delight and took her to her heart immediately. _She is so cute!_

"This is Liz," Don told Alice, "she works with me. - My daughter, Alice. We were having dinner. Do you wanna share?"

Now Liz felt shy. "I'm not hungry. Thanks."

"Oh, I guess you can always have some ice cream," Don replied with a smile.

They went over to the dining room, and Mrs. Lowry got another cup of ice cream for Liz.

It was a strange feeling to sit at the dining table with them. Mrs. Lowry was something like the mother of everyone, friendly and warm-hearted. Don seemed to be a completely different man at home, wearing jeans and sweatshirt, being relaxed. And little Alice, who glanced at her curiously now and then, was simply sweet. Liz felt consoled just by being with them.

"Did someone hurt you?" Alice finally asked.

Liz remembered the bruise on her cheek. "It's nothing serious," she assured her. "I had a little fight with someone, but everything's gonna be okay."

"I had a fight with Olivia half a year ago," Alice told her. "She pulled my hair. But it didn't get all right. I still don't like her."

Liz had to laugh because the way she told it sounded funny. "I don't like the guy I had the fight with, either. Not anymore. But I'll be fine."

Don raised an eyebrow. Obviously, Tom had come back, and she had been in a fight with him. But, of course, he wouldn't enquire as long as Alice was with them.

"Would you like to see my room?" Alice asked when they had finished the ice cream.

Liz looked at Don, but he just shrugged. "If you like to."

She followed Alice upstairs. There were four rooms on the first floor, and she wished she could explore all of them. She had the feeling that she had never been so close to Don like now.

Alice only showed her the children's room, a big, light room, and expression of her own personality. There was a neat corner for the nursery school Alice attended, a cosy corner with the bed, a hiding space and all kinds of plush fellows, and a creative corner where she drew pictures and played games.

"This is Mary," Alice introduced Liz to a handmade doll, "she is a mother. Berit made it for me."

"Who's Berit?"

"The au pair girl before Madita."

Liz felt solidarity with her as they both had to grow up without a mother. "Aren't you sad when the girls have to leave?"

"Oh yeah," Alice replied with a sigh. "But they write to me sometimes." She showed her a box with letters and postcards. "I guess they'll forget me after a while." Now she really looked sad.

"I don't think so," Liz said, trying to console her. "Maybe they stop writing because they are busy with their own lives, but I don't think any of them will ever forget you." _How can anyone forget such a sweet girl like you?_

* * *

While Don put Alice to bed, Liz helped Mrs. Lowry to clean up the kitchen.

"Have a seat in the living room," the housekeeper said with a friendly smile, and gave her a bottle of wine and two glasses before she went upstairs to her own room on the second floor.

When Liz entered the living room, she met the last member of the household: a quite fat, calm, friendly tomcat with reddish fur that was lying on the sofa.

"That's Rory," Don told her when he joined her and the cat on the couch.

"It's so peaceful here," Liz said with a sigh, "and your daughter is adorable."

Don smiled. _It's easy to like children of other people. You don't have to get up at night, you don't have arguments with them, you don't have to nurse them when they are sick..._ But, of course, he wouldn't want it any other way. His daughter was the most important and most valuable part of his life.

"So, what happened?" he asked and poured wine into the glasses.

Liz told him that Red had arranged a meeting with Tom, that she blew it because she broke his thumb, that they had been in a fight, and that he was gone now, but that Red's people were still following him.

"I guess it's time to process evidence, make a case, and bring him in," Don said.

Liz nodded. Somehow she felt as if she was defeated. It was an odd way to end a marriage. "Tom gave me evidence to prove that Red killed my adoptive father. When I asked Red about it, he admitted it and said it was assisted suicide, sort of, that Sam wanted to die." She repeated what Red had told her.

"Well, it's possible that he's telling the truth."

"But I couldn't say goodbye." She was close to tears and felt the urge to lean her head at his shoulder and cry, but again she reminded herself that he was just her colleague. It was inappropriate that she was here at all.

Don tried to console her, "I guess, some people want to say goodbye, some don't want to be seen weak and desperate by their loved ones."

"It that a guys' thing?"

"Mainly," he replied with a smile. "I'd also rather die right away instead of expiring slowly, watched by everyone. Maybe it's egoistic, but I think the last act is something very personal."

Liz thought about it for a moment. Then, she nodded. "Maybe you are right."

"I'll show you the guest room," he said and got up.

"I can sleep on the couch, with Rory." Liz stroked the cat. "I don't want to cause trouble."

Don laughed. "Then, Mrs. Lowry will wake you at 6 a.m. And if you don't lock your door, Rory will join you sooner or later anyway. He loves to stalk guests. Come on." He lead her to the second floor that had, like the first floor, four rooms.

"Wow, this house must have cost you a fortune." It just slipped out before she had thought about it.

"I inherited some money from my grandparents," Don explained to her. "I never had any use for it until Alice was born. You have to share the bathroom with Mrs. Lowry. I guess she put you some fresh towels there." He showed her a big, luxurious bathroom. "And this is the guest room."

It was a simple but friendly room with a queen-size bed, a closet, a dresser, and a small table with a chair next to the window. Liz liked it right away. She could have stayed here forever.

"If you need anything, my bedroom is on the first floor at the end of the corridor," Don told her before he left her alone.

The idea of sneaking into his bedroom in the middle of the night was tempting, but it also showed her what fine line she was walking on. She had just left her husband, in a quiet unusual way, and now she was staying at the house of her supervisor with whom she was secretly in love. It was insane.

She lay awake for a long time, trying to make up her mind about her next step. She startled when there was a strange noise at the door. A second later something jumped on her bed. She suppressed a scream. Then, she remembered what Don had told her about the cat. It was Rory who lay down next to her feet. His purring helped her to get asleep.


	17. Episode 14 - The Kingmaker

**End of March, 2015**

 **Saturday**

When Liz woke up the next morning, it was silent, and she felt an inner calmness. She looked around. She really loved this room. The bed was cosy, the sunlight was pouring in through the window; she had forgotten to close the white-blue, fluffy curtains. When she lifted her head she looked right into the golden eyes of the tomcat that was now lying next to her, watching her.

"Good morning," she said to him and stroked his head.

Then, she glanced her watch. Almost 10 a.m.! She got up, took some fresh clothes out of her bag and went over to the bathroom. It had a so-called "rainforest shower", and she loved it so much that she spent a lot of time in the bath.

When she finally came downstairs, only Mrs. Lowry was there who smiled at her. "I hope you slept well. You looked terribly exhausted yesterday. What would you like for breakfast?"

It almost made Liz cry. She couldn't believe that everyone in this house was so friendly to her. Since she had left her home in Nebraska she had been on her own, until she met Tom who had pretended that his entire world evolved around her. Then, everything broke apart, piece by piece, and she had to realize that she had, in fact, no one who cared about her. Now, she had invited herself to this house, and everyone cared about her as if she belonged here.

"Where is D... Agent Ressler?" she asked.

"He went shopping with Alice," Mrs. Lowry replied. "He had promised her some days ago. They were waiting for you so you could go with them, but then they thought you might need some rest. - I have fresh croissants. Would you like some?"

"I'm fine with everything except pancakes," Liz said. Don would have really taken her on a shopping tour, with his daughter? _Wow!_

Unfortunately, she wasn't sure about his intentions or his feelings. Probably he just wanted to be nice because he felt sorry for her. He was a decent man who felt that it was his duty to help other people. And she definitely didn't want to be his duty. She didn't want his sympathy.

Suddenly, she knew exactly what she had to do. She had breakfast, went upstairs and got her things. She thanked Mrs. Lowry for everything and told her that she would see Don at the office on Monday. Then, she left the house and checked in a hotel.

She knew she couldn't stay in this house any longer. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to go. She would have wanted to be part of this family, but she was almost sure that Don would never reciprocate her feelings.

* * *

 **Monday**

"Why did you leave?" Don asked when he entered his and Liz's office on Monday morning. "You could have stayed a while."

"I didn't want to cause any trouble," Liz replied with an apologetic smile.

"You didn't," he assured her. He had almost been disappointed when she left. Yes, he would have liked spending the weekend with her. Probably, it wouldn't have been the best idea ever, but he liked having her around.

Don was aware that relationships with colleagues were always difficult, but nothing about this task force was business as usual. Everything was special, the job, the facility, the cases-and Liz. _I shouldn't think something like that_ , he told himself, but he couldn't deny that he liked her a lot. More than he should.

"I think the best thing for me is to be on my own for a while to find out what I want," she said. Well, she knew what would be the best thing for her, but she couldn't tell him that she didn't want to stay at his house because she was in love with him.

"Shall we do it then?" Don asked.

She felt found out. "Do what?" _Right here on the floor?_ She found her face reddening when she tried to imagine how he looked in his nude, and how he would...

"Process evidence and make a case? Tom or Jacob or whatever his name is?" he reminded her, and interrupted her sexual fantasy.

She cringed and put on a strained smile. "Oh, yeah, of course."

* * *

While Don started to investigate Tom and Liz had to explain herself in front of an enquiry board, Red's people lost Tom. Almost at the same moment, Red got word that The Kingmaker exposed one of his assets in Prague. He was almost sure that Tom's employer hired The Kingmaker to distract him from Tom.

* * *

 **Tuesday & Wednesday**

The Kingmaker case _(no essential changes)_

"I couldn't find anything about Angus and Helen Younes," Don told Liz on Wednesday afternoon, after he had checked his e-mails. "The Bureau doesn't have anything on them. Maybe we should involve Meera. She may have access to files at the CIA we don't even know exist."

Liz hesitated. She didn't know much about her calm colleague.

"Oh, come on, Meera is nice and trustworthy, believe me."

"Do you two spend some personal time together?" Liz asked, feeling jealous when she remembered Meera's remark about Don being hot.

"Yeah, we went for a drink, and sometimes we meet for an afternoon with the kids", Don said. "Meera's daughter is just a year older than Alice. They like each other."

 _Probably I'm just complicating things_ , Liz thought. _I could simply spend time with him. As a friend. But I don't want to be his friend. At least, not just a friend._ "Yes, please, ask her," she said.

* * *

Later that day, Red met with Don and gave him the acceptance letter of a known au pair agency. They promised to find a new girl for him soon.

"How did you get that?" Don asked distrustfully.

"I pulled a few strings." Red smiled. "Someone I know knows someone who knows the CEO of the agency. She was assured that it wasn't your fault and will never happen again. So she was happy to help. Really, Donald," he assured him, "no one was threatened or paid, no crime was committed. Don't forget that I had a quite normal life 25 years ago. I still know a few decent people without any criminal record."

* * *

 **Thursday**

When Liz told Red that he couldn't talk to The Kingmaker, he was furious. "It's the entire reason I brought you this case."

"The Kingmaker is dead."

"How could that happen?" he asked angrily.

"I'm sorry that I didn't want to die," Liz retorted. "D... Ressler shot him, when he was about to strangle me. But maybe you prefer me dead!"

"No, no," he calmed her and himself down, "of course not." He took a deep breath. "I have reason to believe that The Kingmaker was hired by Tom's employer. That's why this case was so important. It had been a chance to find out who Tom works for."

"You could have told us," she said, still being in a snit, "but I don't think it would have made any difference."

* * *

 **Friday**

In the morning, they arrested Patrick Chandler and closed The Kingmaker case.

Later that day, they got a lead on Tom. An anonymous caller told them that he had seen him at an old warehouse.

Don hesitated when Liz wanted to join him but, finally, he let her come along. When they arrived at the warehouse, Don, Liz, Meera, and the SWAT-team moved in carefully.

But all they could see was a man disappearing in a hurry through the back door, and a lifeless body on the floor, in a pool of blood. Tom.

"No!" Although Liz was done with him she was shocked to see him dying. She wanted him gone, in prison, whatever, but she didn't want him dead. Of course, he had approached her in the intention to fool her, but she knew he was right that both of them had been willing to live this illusion. And although she might have never loved him deeply, she had at least liked him and had been in love with him for some time.

Liz knelt besides Tom, while Meera lead the SWAT-team to the back door, trying to capture the man. Tom was bleeding heavily from a gunshot wound at his stomach. To Don it was clear he wouldn't make it, nevertheless, he called an ambulance.

"I'm sorry, Liz," Tom whispered when he got aware of that she was there. "I wish it had been different."

"Who did this to you?" she asked and tried to stop the bleeding with her hands. She was thinking of Reddington, but Tom replied, "The Major. He fears... I might... tell you... about... the..." His voice got weaker and weaker and finally broke.*)

When his heart stopped beating, Liz tried a CPR, until Don dragged her away. "It's over, Liz," he told her and stroked her back to comfort her. "He's dead. There's nothing you can do."

She was so upset that she realized too late what Don had to think: that she was still in love with Tom. "He wanted to tell me about his mission, who he worked for. And I..."

"Despite all the things he had done, you loved him", he said and lead her out of the warehouse. It was painful to see her so shaken up.

"No." She shook her head in despair. "I feel sorry for him, I didn't want him to die, but..."

"It's all right," Don told her and made her sit on an old box. He took off his jacket and put it around her shoulders. "It's never easy when someone dies you knew."

This was all insane and so wrong. Here she sat, with his jacket around her shoulders, and all she wanted was to be in his arms.

"Are you sure you wanna stay in your lonely hotel? You really can stay with us for a while", he tried to persuade her. He would prefer to have her with him. He wasn't sure whether she was really strong enough to get through all this on her own.

"That's really kind." Liz smiled, a bit weak, though. "But I think I need some time for myself."

"Okay," he said, "but if you need anything, let me know."

"Thank you." She watched him walking towards Meera, who was back without any result, and was angry at herself.

* * *

 **Next week, Monday**

When Red got word that someone was planning an attack on him, he decided to visit some people who might know something about it. As these people didn't live in D.C., he had to travel and told Cooper that he would be gone for a while. Cooper used the opportunity to give his agents some time off.

"I'll go to the sea," Don told Liz when they were cleaning up their office. "Would you like to come with us?"

 _This is cruel_ , she thought. The imagination of staying at a little hotel with him and Alice, going to the beach every day, spending the day as a family, having dinner at a restaurant, and doing naughty things at night drove her crazy. _I can't go there with him, not as just a friend_.

"I think I will go to Nebraska, see some old friends," she said. Of course, she wouldn't do that. She was going to spend the vacation at her hotel. Alone.

Don was sure that she wouldn't go anywhere. He was worried about her, but obviously she didn't want to be with him.

* * *

 **Thursday, April, 2015**

Before Red headed to someone who might give him a clue, he visited Liz at her hotel room. It was April 2, Liz's 27th birthday.

"I brought you a special present for your special day," Red said with a smile, "A bottle of wine you made together with Sam when you were a child. I doubt it's still drinkable, but it's a nice memory. Share it with someone special."

"There's no one special in my life," Liz replied, feeling numb and depressed. "I don't even know if it is my birthday at all."

"If you are Beatrice Younes, it is your birthday," Red assured her.

She looked up. "Do you have any records?"

"No, but I do know that Beatrice Younes was born on April 2, 1988." He looked at her, worried. She was sitting on the bed, wearing a bathrobe, her hair undone, no make-up at all. He had made a promise to Sam to make her happy, and now she was more unhappy than ever. He sat down next to her. "Is it because of Tom?"

"No." Liz shook her head. "I mean, I'm sorry he's dead. I didn't want it end like that, but..." She didn't finish the sentence.

"You should go out, have dinner, meet someone," Red tried to cheer her up.

"There is no one."

Red sighed. "You could ask Donald out for dinner. I'm sure he would agree."

"Yes, because he's sorry for me." Liz grimaced scornfully.

"I don't think so. I guess, he's a good friend. He asked you to stay at his house, didn't he?"

"He also asked me to go on a vacation with him and Alice."

"What's your point, Lizzie?" Red asked uncomprehendingly.

"I don't want to be his friend." Liz blushed, bit her lower lip and avoided to look at him. "I mean, he's my supervisor."

Red blinked in confusion. It took him a moment to understand what was going on. He shook his head. "Elizabeth, you have to grow up. As long as you behave like a teenage girl he probably _will_ be sorry for you."

* * *

 _*) I'm sorry for the Tom-fans. I do like Tom, but I didn't like the storyline for him in season 2. As Tom's employer is much more important for this story than Tom himself I decided to kill him off. ;)_


	18. Episode 15 and 16

_When I plotted the story Lord Baltimore was part of the storyline. It still is, but during the writing process I realized that I only need it because of the given events. There aren't any essential changes or special scenes, only a few "corrections" and additional information. Therefore, episode 15 was added to episode 16. ;)_

* * *

 **Episode 15 - Lord Baltimore**

 **End of April, 2015**

 **Monday**

Red met with the warlord Yaabari who told him that Lord Baltimore was looking for him. It soon turned out that Red wasn't the target but his ex-wife Naomi Hyland.

"Her real name is Carla Reddington," Don briefed the team. "She is the daughter of Admiral Sterling and got married to Reddington in 1982. When it became obvious that Reddington had turned into a criminal, she and her daughter Jennifer participated in the witness-protection programme. They hadn't much to tell, though. Meanwhile, Naomi is married to Frank Hyland and lives in Philadelphia. There hasn't been any contact to Jennifer since 2008. It's likely that she went underground."

Before they could take Naomi into protective custody, she was abducted by Lord Baltimore and brought to Berlin.

* * *

 **Tuesday & Wednesday**

The Lord Baltimore case _(no essential changes, with a rather depressed Liz, but without Ezra, Tom, the boat, and the psychiatrist)_.

Red received a package with a cut off finger of his ex-wife and a cell phone. He had a first conversation with the man who called himself Berlin. Red had assumed that the threat against him had something to do with Tom. Hence, he was surprised to hear from Berlin. And he was even more surprised, when he heard that Berlin had abducted Naomi because Red had allegedly killed Berlin's daughter.

Of course, Red had killed some bad guys in his life but never any girl. From what Berlin told him it had happened in 1991, and he was sure he hadn't killed anyone in 1991.

* * *

 **Episode 16 - The Monarch Douglas Bank**

 **May, 2015**

 **Monday**

Red asked the task force to get involved in the robbery of The Monarch Douglas Bank in Warsaw.

There were some discussions because Tom Connolly didn't want them to get involved, but finally Cooper sent Liz and Don to Warsaw.

* * *

 **Tuesday**

"Isn't Alice sad when you are away for a while?" Liz asked during the flight to Warsaw.

"Sure," Don replied, "but I couldn't give up the job when she was born. Someone has to bring home the bacon, right? Of course, I could have applied for an office job, but I wouldn't have been at home during the day, either, and I would have earned less money."

Liz pondered how she could find out more about him and his feelings for her. "Do you miss Alice's mother?" she finally asked carefully.

"Somehow." He listened to his heart for a while. "It's been more than five years now. It's not true that time heals all wounds, but you learn to live with it." He paused before he added, "The relationship wasn't happy. We met when I was an officer with the Metro Police. We were pretty much in love, but then it became an on-off relationship. She was unsatisfied with my job, my working times, especially when I started working with the FBI. I cheated on her twice," he looked as guilty as he felt, "then, she got pregnant, I promised to marry her, but I never had the time because my career was always more important to me."

Liz looked at him in surprise. She had considered him as absolutely faithful.

"What?" Don asked when he noticed her look. "What did you think of me? That I'm a saint? I was twenty-two when I met her, and I had to make this mistake to realize that a true partnership and a family is more important than any job. When I realized it, it was too late. But... I mean to say, if Audrey was still alive, I'm not sure I would be the perfect husband for her or she the perfect wife for me. We had too many fights, too different opinions, too different imaginations about a committed relationship. It's not that I didn't love her, but I'm not sure we would have been the perfect couple by now."

Liz was somehow relieved that he didn't feel obligated to Audrey anymore, but it didn't tell her anything about his feelings for her.

* * *

 **Wednesday**

The Monarch Douglas Bank case _(no essential changes)_.

Liz didn't like the way Don was looking after Kaja. He was much too nice to her in her opinion. In fact, she was extremely jealous. On the other hand, it showed her once more that caring about anyone who was in need was part of Don's personality. She was convinced that asking her to stay at his house or to go on a vacation with him was nothing else than an expression of sympathy.

After Red had "stolen" the "formula" by taking Kaja with him, Liz said, "I bet Berlin has an account at The Monarch Douglas Bank, and Red needs Kaja to steal Berlin's money. So he can trade for Naomi's life."

"We could call Cooper and tell him," Don suggested. "On the other hand, we'll probably risk Naomi's life if we do that."

Finally, they decided to let Red do it his way.

* * *

 **Thursday**

Red blackmailed Berlin for the money he had stolen from him. In the end, they agreed to exchange Naomi for the money. Again, Red asked him about the reason, and Berlin insisted that Red had killed his daughter. He showed him a picture of her in his pocket watch, but Red was sure he had never seen this girl before in his life.

Later, he hired a pickpocket to steal the pocket watch, have a quick copy of the picture inside and put the watch back in place.

In the meantime, Liz and Don returned to D.C. and were able to locate Kaja, but Red had already got Berlin's account number and had stolen the money.

At night, Red and Berlin met and exchanged Naomi for the money, and Dembe brought Naomi to a weekend home that once belonged to the family.

* * *

 **Friday**

Liz tried to locate Naomi because she hoped Red's ex-wife would be able to tell her something about Red and the night of the fire.

When Don entered the office, she remarked, "You are late for work again."

He noticed the coldness in her voice. "Huh, are you in a bad mood today?"

"No, I'm fine," she claimed although she was really in a bad mood. "Got late yesterday?" She didn't like that Don and Kaja had sat in the war room, smiling at each other while she was telling him the numbers of all kinds of accounts of the clients of The Monarch Douglas Bank.

Don wondered what she was up to. "No, not really."

"No little flirt before delivering Kaja to protective custody?"

Don laughed out loud, equally surprised and amused. "You are jealous."

Liz blushed when she realized that she had gone too far. "No, I'm not. I... I have to take this file to... Meera." She took the next best file from her desk and rushed out of the room.

In the corridor she leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. _Damn it! Red is right. I need to grow up and stop acting like a stupid teenager!_

Don was still staring at the door, puzzled. On the other hand, everything was clear to him now. She didn't want to stay at his house because she was in love with him and couldn't stand being close to him while pretending just being a colleague and, perhaps, a friend.

It gave him a warm feeling and made him smile. He liked her a lot, and he wouldn't mind to be more than a friend for her. But how could he be sure that he wasn't just another illusion? She had been together with Tom because she wanted a home, a family. He had what she wanted so badly: a child she could adopt and care about. He could offer her the family and the home she wanted. What if this was the only reason for her being in love with him?

When Liz was trying to make up her mind how to deal with Don, she met the person she was supposedly meeting with: Meera came towards her, smiling.

"I was looking for you," Meera said. "There really is a file about the Younes, but it is in the so-called poison cabinet or black cabinet of the CIA."

"Poison cabinet?" Liz asked and opened the door to her office. Entering it together with Meera gave her a good opportunity to make Don forget that she had behaved like a jealous bitch some minutes ago. "What does that mean?"

Meera nodded to Don and repeated what she had just told Liz. "It means that your possible parents were high-value targets or informants for the CIA," she explained. "However, they must have done or known something the CIA was involved in, something the CIA doesn't want to know anyone."

"Can you get this file somehow?" Liz asked.

Meera looked sceptical. "They wouldn't grant me access. I would raise suspicion if I asked for it. And it's difficult to even get into that room. I can try, but I'll need a plan and some time."

"Be careful," Don said. "There might be other ways to find out what the Younes were doing, especially now that we know that the CIA was involved."

* * *

When Red met with Naomi in the cabin, she wasn't enthusiastic to see him. "You only married me to find out about Helen Younes!"

"Yes," Red admitted. "You were a target, or to be more specific your father was the target. Barnett asked me to spy on him. The ONI*) had reason to believe that he was in contact with Helen Younes, and that he was involved in some dirty business using Navy ships. As Barnett was the one who helped me to get a letter of recommendation for the Naval Academy I felt obligated to get involved."

"You could have done this in many ways, instead of flirting with me and made me believe I was someone special to you," Naomi accused him. Even after all these years she was angry with him.

Red sighed. He had always felt guilty because of her. It was the reason he had felt obligated to safe her life. He had never been in love with her, but he liked her and her daughter. "Maybe, maybe not."

"And in the end, you found out nothing," she said, "because Helen was just a pen pal of mine and didn't write anything of importance."

"Oh, your father was a villain," Red retorted. "He had nothing to do with Helen Younes and whatever she was involved in - and yes, Helen's letters were quite uninteresting - instead, he was running a human trafficking ring. He was using Navy support ships to smuggle girls in all kinds of countries to sell them as sex slaves. He was an important distributor for criminal organizations like the Eberhardt Cartel."

She got angry and slapped him in the face. "That's a lie!"

The sudden pain made him cringe. He touched his cheek with his hand. He probably deserved that. "It's not. The alleged journey he told you about, well, he was brought to a black site where he died about ten years ago."

* * *

 **Saturday**

Liz was able to find out Naomi's location and went to see her.

Naomi was surprised, when Liz entered the cabin. Then, she frowned and had a closer look at her. "You are... Beatrice, aren't you?"

Liz had had some hopes for this meeting, but she hadn't thought it would be such a success. "Yes. But now my name is Elizabeth, Elizabeth Keen. I work with the FBI, and with Reddington."

"Oh my," Naomi said. "I don't want to know how he pulled that off. You know, he only married me because of my connection to Helen Younes, and now he works with you. You look very much like your mother, you know?"

Liz got more and more excited. "No, I can't remember her at all. Did you know her well?" She took a seat opposite to her.

"We were only pen pals," Naomi said. "We never met in person. She just sent me a picture once."

"Can I see it? I know nothing about my parents," Liz explained to her. "Reddington said that they probably died in a fire, and that he saved me and brought me to a friend of his who adopted me. But he didn't seem to know much about them, or he doesn't want to tell me."

Naomi grimaced scornfully. "He's great at manipulating people. But in this case I guess he really doesn't know much. I don't know much, either. Helen never wrote anything of importance. Hobbies, books she liked to read, stuff like that. I don't have the letters or the picture here, but I could send them to you."

"That would be awesome." Liz smiled happily. It didn't matter whether these letters were important. To know anything at all about her mother would help to fill the gap in her life. "Reddington only married you because of her?"

Naomi shrugged. "It was a covert mission. Maybe it simply went wrong. A simple flirt went too far, and he couldn't go back. So he married me and adopted my daughter Jennifer."

Liz was surprised. "He's not the biological father of Jennifer?"

"No, he isn't. She was the result of a one-night-stand, something my father wasn't happy about." Naomi laughed ironically. "He was glad when I was going out with a Naval officer. He put pressure on me to marry him, I put pressure on Raymond, his mission wasn't complete, that's why he probably thought that he had to do it."

"That sounds pretty much like what happened to me." Liz sighed and told Naomi about Tom. "Do you have any idea what my mother might have given to me?"

But Naomi shook her head. "Give me your address. I'll send you her letters, and you'll see that there's nothing important in them."

Liz wrote the address of her post-office box on a piece of paper and gave it to Naomi. "How did you notice that you were just a target for him?"

"I didn't. He told me in a letter after he had left the country," Naomi replied, "said he was sorry, that something bad had happened and that he had to go underground."

"I hope you found an honest man meanwhile," Liz said.

"Yes." Naomi smiled and stroked Liz's arm. "And I'm pretty sure that there is a decent guy somewhere out there waiting for you."

* * *

 _*) ONI = Office of Naval Intelligence_


	19. Episode 17 - The Stewmaker

**May, 2015**

 **Monday**

Red met with Glenn at the DMV, gave him the picture of Berlin's daughter and hired him to find out what had happened to her. Somehow he was sure that she was still alive.

* * *

 **Tuesday & Wednesday**

When Liz was about to testify in an old case of hers, Hector Lorca, Red warned her that Lorca's people had reached out to him. So, she asked Don to come with her to the court house. There, the only witness who had been able to tie Lorca to hundreds of murders was abducted.

The Stewmaker case _(no essential changes)_.

* * *

 **Thursday**

When Liz wanted to hand over Lorca to Homeland Security, his people freed him and abducted Liz.

"What do we do now?" Don asked when he, Red, Cooper, and Meera met in the war room of The Embassy. He looked at Red. "Any idea where he took her?"

"He will probably hand her over to The Stewmaker," Red feared. "We better make Lorca talk quickly."

"I'm coming with you," Don said determined. He was worried about Liz. No matter whether her feelings for him might be just an illusion, he wanted her back, alive and in one piece. He knew he couldn't stand another loss in his life.

Red turned to him and rest his hand on the younger man's shoulder. "Donald, you are a great agent, but that's what you are: a cop. Lorca will know it this minute you walk through the door." He paused and thought for a moment. "You know what? Be my man at the State Department." He grinned. "Can you play a dirty cop?"

* * *

 _The rest of the case, with the exception that Red looked for a different picture in the "memory book" of The Stewmaker._

When Don lead Liz to the ambulance, she suddenly had a nervous breakdown. All this was too much. Her past, Tom, Reddington, what he did to The Stewmaker, The Stewmaker himself, her unanswered feelings for Don... Too much had happened the past months to process it all. She held on to Don and was crying more and more, while he tried to console her.

Finally, she calmed herself down, but she didn't feel any better. She knew she couldn't be alone anymore. When she sat down at the stairs of the ambulance, she looked up to Don entreatingly. "Can I stay with you for a while?"

"Sure." He was glad to have her back. They could sort out their feelings later. He wiped her tears away and smiled at her. "I'll pick you up at the hospital and see you home, all right?"

 _Home._ She smiled in delight and relief. In her memory she relived the awesome feeling when he had touched her cheeks with his hand over and over again.

When the ambulance drove off, Don turned to Red, "So, why were you interested in capturing The Stewmaker? I mean, besides saving Liz." He didn't expect a concrete answer, and was surprised when he actually got one.

"I had been looking for a guy named Joseph McCray for years, then, I could get hold of a classified file which indicated that McCray got killed, and that The Stewmaker made his body disappear," Red told him while he closed his jacket. "Unfortunately, I found his picture in the book I just gave Agent Keen. That means he's really dead."

"And this is bad why?"

"He might have helped us with the Younes and some other things." Red sighed and patted Don's back. "Go and look after Lizzie. I think she'll need you now."

* * *

 **Friday**

Liz woke up late the next day. For a moment she wasn't sure where she was. Oh yeah, she was in the guest room at Don's house. She was at home. Home. What a great word and what a great feeling. This time, she was determined to stay. She just had to find a way to tell Don about her feelings and had to hope that he felt more for her than just sympathy.

The sunlight was pouring in through the window, Rory, the fat tomcat, was lying next to her and enjoyed the warmth. He seemed to smile, and he purred when Liz stroked his fur. Although it had been a terrible day the other day, she felt well. Just because she was here.

When she came downstairs, only Mrs. Lowry was there. It was like a déjà vu. Something was different, though. _She_ was different. When she had to fear for her life she had realized that it was stupid to not at least try to have her dreams come true. She just had to do something about it.

"Good morning, love," Mrs. Lowry said with a smile, when Liz joined her in the kitchen.

Liz smiled back. "Where is everyone?"

"Don went to work, Laure brought Alice to the nursery school, it's a normal day of the week."

"I should go to work, too."

"Don said you should take the day off," Mrs. Lowry replied. "What would you like for breakfast?"

* * *

Later, Liz went to the hotel, got the rest of her things and checked out. No more hotel rooms. She stopped at her post-office box and found a little package from Naomi. Excited she returned to Don's house.

As Naomi had said, her mother hadn't written much or anything important. To Liz, however, it was important. Helen had liked strawberries, old paintings, the sea, adventure stories, had detested pancakes - like her -, grumpy old people, too hot summers... Very little things, nothing really personal, no deep thoughts but, at least, something.

Helen had written about her daughter Beatrice, called Trishy. According to the dates on the letters she had been born on April 2, 1988. This was probably also Red's source.

Liz was excited to read a few little things about herself in these letters, her first step, her first visit to the sea. Her first word had been "donkie", the Afrikaans word for "donkey", as Helen explained in the letter, when her mother had been to a zoo with her and had shown the animals to her.

It seemed that the Younes were from South Africa or the Netherlands, but the letters were written in English and stamped at all kinds of places. Amsterdam, Brussels, Rome...

The only picture that was attached to one of the letters showed Helen with Liz when she had been about six months old. Naomi was right, she really looked a lot like her mother.

Liz deleted the words "possible" and "perhaps" relating to her mother. Helen was her mother, and Liz was definitely Beatrice Younes. She had got used to "Elizabeth" so "Beatrice" sound unfamiliar, but it felt good to be finally sure about who she really was.

* * *

When Alice came home in the afternoon, she made Liz play in the garden with her. Mrs. Lowry had her free afternoon anyway, and Laure, the new au pair girl from Belgium, was fine with going shopping and meeting with some new friends instead.

Liz enjoyed playing little girls' games with Alice. She hadn't felt so free for months, and she found it astonishingly easy to understand Alice's world. Mrs. Lowry was something like her grandmother, her dad was her beloved hero, and the void her mother had left was filled with friends, real ones and devised ones. Liz had to admit that, unlike herself, Alice had found a good way to compensate the fact that she had no mother.

When it got too cold, they went inside. "Shouldn't we cook?" Liz asked.

"Mrs. Lowry has prepared food," Alice knew. "Daddy just has to get it ready when he comes home."

"Maybe we should do it for him?" Liz suggested although she was a lousy cook, but she would love to surprise him.

Alice liked the idea and showed Liz where to find everything. Luckily, the salad and the dessert was ready. There was only noodles to cook, rib-eye steaks to fry and a sauce Mrs. Lowry had cooked in the morning to be heat up.

"To be honest I can't cook at all," Liz admitted while she was trying to remember how long a steak had to be fried.

"Not even noodles?" Alice asked and looked at her sceptically. She looked exactly like her father in that moment.

"Not even noodles."

"You boil water, put the noodles and some salt in, change the temperature down, and then cook it as long as the packing says," Alice explained to her.

Liz had to laugh. Even a five-year-old kid was a better cook than her.

Together they managed it, and they were very proud when Don came home. He laughed when he saw Liz and Alice's smiling faces. Obviously, Liz loved being here. It didn't help to forget his suspicion about her intentions, but he decided to take it easy. She had almost died yesterday; she deserved some rest and joy.

Liz had decided to move slowly, too. Telling him how much she adored him, and that her heart hurt when she thought of him because she couldn't be with him would probably just shy him away. She had to wait for the right moment.


	20. Episode 18 - The Decembrist

**May, 2015**

 **Monday**

Glenn told Red to come to his office at the DMV. He had found Berlin's daughter who was going under the name Zoe D'Antonio now.

* * *

 **Tuesday**

Red abducted Zoe and brought her to Berlin. In the following discussion it became clear that they both had been framed by The Decembrist.

Red got confirmation that Lucy Brooks had worked for Berlin, but Berlin wasn't willing to tell him the name of Tom's employer. "It would be dirty pool to expose an associate," he said. "We did some business together, and he helped me to get a lead on you. But, of course, he doesn't want you to know who he is."

Red didn't like it, but he had to accept it. He wouldn't do it any other way if Tom's employer was his associate.

* * *

 **Wednesday & Thursday**

 _The Decembrist case with the events in Moscow that finally lead to the abduction of Alan Fitch._

* * *

 **Friday**

Red persuaded Zoe to meet with her father so he could make Berlin tell him Fitch's whereabouts. Berlin shared this information with pleasure because in the meantime, his men had put a bomb around Fitch's neck.

The task force decided to bring Fitch into the box in the Post Office. When they weren't able to disarm the bomb, Fitch sent the bomb squad away and asked to see Red.

"I've been able to hold everyone off, convince them that it's in their best interest to let you live," Fitch said. "But people aren't scared as they once were. Some aren't so sure you even have it. Do you have it, Ray? Do you have the Capitalist Manifesto?"

It was the first time ever Red heard the name of whatever he supposedly had. Of course, he didn't have it. He preferred not to answer.

"My death will trigger an election," Fitch warned him. "There will be a new director. I guess it will be Porter. He belongs to those who think you don't have it. They're gonna demand proof. You have to..." The explosion cut off whatever he wanted to say.

Later that day, Red killed Berlin who was still not willing to expose Tom's employer.

* * *

 **Saturday**

To everyone's surprise Red called in a meeting with all members of the task force, or to be specific with Liz, Don, Meera, and Cooper. They met in Cooper's office at The Embassy.

"Alan Fitch was not only the Assistant Director of National Security, he was also the head of The Alliance," Red told them. "The Alliance is something like an international business syndicate. A criminal syndicate. It includes all kinds of high-level companies and people with high access to departments, intelligence agencies and politics to clear the way for business deals these companies normally wouldn't get. Building pipelines in a war zone, winning gold in a national park, or selling guns to our enemies. It's a lobby. A mighty lobby.

"I got aware of them when I was with the ONI. I noticed a few strange activities, heard a word or two. Then, I met Joseph McCray, a CIA agent. He asked me about Helen Younes, about the results of my investigation. I told him I had no idea who she really was or what she was doing. He said, I should be careful, that I was involved in something I had no idea of, and that he made two copies of something sensitive, something that would expose The Alliance. I guess it's that Capitalist Manifesto Fitch was talking about, probably their accountancy. One of the copies McCray hid somewhere, I don't know where, and the other copy he gave Helen Younes."

"That's what everyone is after?" Liz asked. "A copy of a," she contemplated, searching for the right expression, "blackmail file? And Tom and whoever he worked for think I have it?"

Red shrugged. "Obviously."

"So, you were asked to investigate Helen Younes?" Don tried to piece the story together.

"Yes. There were indications of she was somehow involved with Admiral Sterling, an enemy of The Alliance as I found out many years later," Red explained. "I guess, I was asked to investigate her because some members of The Alliance weren't sure about her intentions. But the admiral was running his own dirty business, and there was only a contact between Helen and the admiral's daughter."

"Who you married in order to get to the father," Liz said scornfully.

"I didn't like it, either, but it was a covert operation of the ONI," Red told her. "A few years after I had left the country," he went on, "Fitch found me and made clear that they wanted that copy back. To be honest I had no idea what he was talking about, but I realized that they seemed to believe Helen somehow gave me the copy in the night of the fire, or that I always had it because I met McCray once. Whatever. I simply said I had the copy and that I would release it if they threatened me or killed me. He believed me. Otherwise, I would be long dead by now.

"Then, there were rumours that Helen gave something important to her daughter. As I knew where her daughter was," he looked at Liz and smiled, "it was easy for me to pretend I had the copy. I don't care much about it, but with Fitch's death the positions within The Alliance will shift. They are going to demand proof that this copy exists.

"There is a distinct possibility that they are already in this task force," he warned them, "watching it, don't want it to go on. It is important that you don't tell anyone anything. This conversation should never leave this office." He gave each of them a severe look. "This includes your colleagues, your friends, loved ones, and especially people with high access who are responsible for this task force."

"You are talking about Tom Connolly," Meera understood.

"What?" Cooper was shocked, had no trust in her words. "No! He's a good friend of mine."

"He's in contact with the same people Diane Fowler was," Meera said. "Alan Fitch, some high-level businessmen, and Leland Porter, the Assistant Director of the CIA. I carried out an investigation after Diane's... disappearance. Some of her meetings and contacts are highly suspicious if you ask me. It smells like corruption."

"This is exactly what it is." Red nodded. "Really, Harold, don't tell Connolly any of this. We need to move very carefully. Otherwise, something like Anslo Garrick will happen again."

"They did this? The Alliance hired Garrick to gun down the Post Office?" Cooper was horrified, but he couldn't believe that his best friend was involved in the murder of ten federal agents.

Again, Red nodded. "Fitch ordered the surveillance and the attack, Diane gave Garrick the blueprints of the facility. It happened in the name of The Alliance, and I'm afraid that Agent Malik is right about Connolly. Another important point," he turned to Liz, "is to find whatever your mother gave to you. I tried to find the second copy that McCray placed somewhere, but I've not the slightest clue where he could have hidden it."

Liz startled when she was suddenly in the centre of the action. "But I don't know what she could have given to me or where it is."

"Maybe it is in something that belonged to you when you were a child," Red suggested. "The list of things Tom described in his code book. Maybe it's something so small that he couldn't find it. A microfilm perhaps."

"When you met Liz in the night of the fire," Don tried to help, "can you remember what she was wearing or carrying with her?"

Red thought about it for a moment. "She was wearing a red dress with flowers or something like that and was carrying a little red handbag," he finally said.

"There was no red handbag in the box I brought from Nebraska," Liz said.

"Are there any other places where it could be?" Don asked.

Liz pondered. They had got everything from Sam's house before she sold it. "Aunt June might have a few things."

"Well, I guess, we should pay her a visit," Don suggested.

* * *

 **Sunday**

They took Alice with them when they flew on short note to Lincoln, after Aunt June had confirmed that she had two boxes with old stuff in her basement.

It felt like family when they got out of the rental car, and Alice took Liz's hand and waited for her dad to come over to them. Liz imagined Aunt June's facial expression when she would see them, and she smiled. The last time they met Liz had been with Tom, married and looking forward to adopting an infant, and now she turned up with another man and a five-year-old child.

The past days had been hard for her. It was difficult to stay at his house strictly just as a friend, but she had realized that this was not all about Don. Being with him meant being with his daughter, too. For her it was easy to love Alice. Who wouldn't love such a cute girl? But, of course, Alice had to like her as well.

Don had decided to wait and see. He was sure that time would tell. Liz would talk to him, or Alice would ask whether Liz was going to stay; as soon as she had made up her mind that she wanted to keep her.

Although Liz had told her a few weeks ago that Tom had turned out as an imposter and had been killed, Aunt June _was_ surprised and seemed somehow disappointed when Liz introduced Don as her colleague.

"Now, that he's gone and exposed I can tell you that I never really liked Tom," June said when she was alone with Liz. "Your colleague seems to be nice. Is he single?"

Liz blushed. "Yes, he's single." She knew what June was going to say next.

"You should marry him and adopt his daughter," June advised her as expected. "You would be a great family."

Aunt June showed them the boxes in a corner of the basement and left them alone. They went through the contents piece by piece. Most things had obviously belonged to Sam and an unknown woman whom he might have had a committed relationship with.

Finally, they found a paper bag with the things Liz had obviously worn on the day of the fire, and the little red handbag Red had told them about.

There was nothing at the dress or at the shoes. Curiously, Liz opened the handbag. In it was a handkerchief, a little lipstick, a cream jar, a little box with marbles, two candies, a cookie in a plastic packing as you get it on a plane, a used ticket of the D.C. metro, and a brooch, shaped like a four-leaf clover.

"Maybe the lipstick is a USB-drive," Don joked, "a prototype, of course, that no one is able to read today."

They looked closely at every bit and inch of the bag, but there was nothing that looked like a microfilm.


	21. Episode 19 - Ruslan Denisov

_Yes, I still have a crush on this episode. :D Travelling somewhere together, meetings at the bar and this special room... it's too tempting. ;)_

* * *

 **June, 2015**

 **Wednesday**

When everyone was in the war room, including Tom Connolly, Meera turned to Liz and Don. "I figured out a plan how to get that file about the Younes," she said, quiet enough to not be heard by the other agents, but loud enough to be heard by Connolly and Cooper who were standing not far from them, talking to each other.

"You really have to be careful," Don said, worried about her.

"Well, I know that it is in the so-called black room. I just have to slip in, get the file from the so-called poison cabinet and get out," Meera replied, smiling.

When Connolly left the war room, reaching for his cell phone, her smile got even broader. She waited a few minutes, then, she asked one of the technicians to trace the call Connolly had just made.

"I wanted to prove that Connolly is involved," Meera said to Cooper a little later. "I could see that you didn't believe me. I said I would go and get that file, and a minute later he called Leland Porter. I'm sure if I turned up there tonight, they would kill me." She showed him the protocol of the call.

Cooper's first reaction was one of annoyance. How could she dare to doubt a high-ranking member of the Justice Department? But Connolly did call Porter, according to Red the new director of The Alliance. Unfortunately, Red had never been wrong so far. Cooper was disappointed and filled with rage. "He was my best friend for many years!"

"Oh, sometimes your best friends are your worst enemies," Don said scornfully.

Cooper remembered what Jonica had done. It would take him some time to process that news. One thing he knew for sure: he really had to conceal everything they were doing from Connolly. He also knew that he had to find a solution. If Connolly was dirty, he had to go!

"Talking of Jonica, I might have found a link between you and The Alliance," Meera said to Don.

"Between me and The Alliance?" Don asked in surprise. He had never been in touch with anyone Red had mentioned.

"In a former case I investigated Samuel Aleko. He was smuggling something by using an old fishing boat. I never found out what he was smuggling and who else was involved because Diane Fowler stopped me and told me that Aleko was an informant for the Justice Department." She shrugged. "Now, I reopened the case and found out that he makes deliveries to Ferrent LC."

"The company of my uncle," Don said, puzzled, not quite sure what she was heading to.

"Yes. How about this? - The Ferrent LC is a member of The Alliance. Some members of The Alliance want Reddington dead. Someone in the Justice Department, I guess Diane Fowler, assigns you to the case and The Alliance pays Jonica to make you hate Reddington so much that you kill him to take vengeance."

Everyone looked at her, shocked. "Do you know this for sure?" Don asked. "Reddington asked me about the Ferrents, too."

Meera raised an eyebrow and put on her "little, mean witch"-face. "Well, maybe you should ask him whether he knows if the Ferrents belong to The Alliance. If they do, you know who you are dealing with and who is responsible for Audrey's death. Sometimes not only your best friends but also your own family is your worst enemy."

* * *

 **Thursday**

Red came by to tell the team that a CIA agent had been abducted by his associate, Ruslan Denisov, in Uzbekistan. Cooper decided to send Liz and Don for negotiations to Tashkent without informing Connolly about this mission.

* * *

 **Friday**

When they arrived in Tashkent, they met the CIA and a strange guy at the airport, then Red at the hotel, before they were abducted by Denisov who showed his "water experiment" to them. At the hospital Commander Kushan got his point across, and they were escorted back to their hotel and had to stay there, watched by armed guards.

It was a "lovely" start for the mission, and it got even worse when they were told that the booking went wrong and they had only one room instead of two rooms.

"The bed looks pretty small," Don said, staring at it. He wasn't sure whether he could share a bed with her and keep his hands to himself. Until now he had been pretty calm in matters of his relationship to her, although he liked her more every day. Now, with the decision right in front of him, he got nervous. "And there isn't a sofa."

"I'm sure we'll be able to share that bed." Liz nodded confirmatively although she wasn't sure about it, either. Every night she lay wide awake in her bed in the guest room, debating with herself whether she should go downstairs to his bedroom. And now she _had_ to share a bed with him.

"Shall we go downstairs for dinner?" Don asked, feeling as insecure as if this was his first date ever.

"I think I'll have room service." She had to ponder whether she should jump on this chance. She definitely needed some time for herself.

"I should see what Reddington is doing." He left the room in a great hurry.

* * *

He met Red at the bar. They talked about Denisov until Red remarked, "Agent Keen is late. She'll miss the Baklava."

"She's having room service."

"Is she somehow upset with me?" Red knew that Liz still hadn't forgiven him for Sam, and sometimes she froze him off.

"No. I think it's... the room."

Red was equally amused and confused. "She's having room service because of the room? Does she like it that much?"

As if it were a reply Don said, "It's a single room with a queen-size bed." He kept playing with the coaster to distract himself from his feelings, torn between desire and distrust.

"Yeah, so?"

"We have to share it because there's only this one room with this one bed."

 _Oh no_ , Red thought, _first Lizzie behaves like a teenager, now he does._ "What's your point, Donald?"

"I don't know if she's serious," Don tried to explain, staring into his glass. He felt like a boy who was trying to talk to his father about something embarrassing. "She turned a blind eye to the situation with Tom because she wanted a family. Well, I have a child she could adopt."

 _Okay, this is not about teenage stuff_. "I think she is serious," Red said. "I think she fell for you long before she knew you are a father."

Don looked up. "Why do you think that?"

"When I noticed it I remembered some moments when she overstepped certain lines." Red smiled. "I think you are the only person she's ever trusted."

Don wasn't fully convinced. "We can't just..."

"Have sex?" Red laughed out loud, and he laughed even more when Don blushed. "Regularities? Procedure of the Bureau? I know. But when there's one thing I've learned in my life, then, it is not to care too much about regularities. It doesn't make you happy." He grinned cheekily. "But if it is such a problem for you, you can share a room with me."

Don was stunned. "You would share a bed with me?"

"Why not?" Red raised his eyebrows and gave him a longing look. Sometimes he couldn't resist to tease him.

Don starred at him for a moment. Then, he dashed down his drink and got up. "This is disgusting."

Red laughed. He knew the younger man would react like that. "Well, then you have to go back to Lizzie."

* * *

When they went to bed, they tried not to touch each other, and each of them tried to stay at the individual side of the bed. It took a while before they went to sleep.

Don woke up in the early morning and realized that Liz had huddled against him pretty close. In fact, she was lying in his arms, her soft hair brushed against his chin, her legs were somehow nested with his, his hands were at her chest, her bottom touched his... _Damn it!_

Behind him there was only the edge of the bed. When he tried to move, she mumbled something and got even closer. He was lying there for a moment, tried to get used to it, but he couldn't stand it. _I could get out of the bed and lie down on her side..._

When he moved she turned around, put her head on his shoulder and her hand on his stomach. It made it even worse.

Liz, no longer asleep, was aware of that she had finally to do something. So she jumped at the chance and put her hand under his shirt, stroked his warm, smooth skin. She loved to feel the movement of his muscles under her fingers when he tensed his muscles and breathed faster.

"If you don't want... you should stop doing this," he said.

"But I want it," Liz replied. "I wanted it from the moment when I saw you in those jeans. I think it was The Courier case. You looked so hot..." She brushed the blanket aside and moved down.

Suddenly, Don felt her warm hand between his thighs, her tongue licking his stomach, her lips kissing his naked skin. The feeling was breathtaking, his longing for her increased, became unbearable.

Liz suppressed a smile when she noticed the small shudder passing through his body.

"This is... I can't... have an affair with you," Don said, heavily breathing, trying not to lose control. "I like you too much for... And I'm not sure..."

Finally, there was the confirmation that he had deeper feelings for her, too. Liz lifted her head, looked at him in the half-light of the room. "I don't want an affair. And I don't want you to think that I see you as an opportunity to fulfil my wish of having a family. I fell for you long before I knew that you have a daughter. I love you because I can talk to you, about everything without feeling strange or ashamed. I love you because I feel safe with you, feel taken seriously, feel well with you. I love you because you are decent and kind. I just... I feared you would only feel sympathy for me, but I don't think you do, don't you?"

It was almost like a marriage vow, and this time he was sure that she was serious. "No, I..." He wasn't good at expressing his feelings, especially feelings like these. "I asked you to stay because I like you." That had to be enough for the moment. The sexual desire was too strong to spend much time with talking. He put his hands under her shirt, pulled her closer and touched her lips with his.

The feeling was intense. He thought he could feel her heart pounding when she pressed her body to his. He could smell a bit of a shampoo, her own scent was that of vanilla, or vanilla with strawberries, however, she tasted great. And she felt wonderful, when she melted in his arms, giving herself to him.

When his hand slid down to her stomach she shivered and lusted for more. Although it definitely wasn't the first time someone touched her it was a feeling she had never felt before, and she didn't want it to ever stop. The feeling of being wanted, desired even, was strong. She was oblivious, now, of everything, got carried away. There was only him and her, and there was nothing that could come between them.

* * *

 **Saturday**

The beginning of the negotiations. _(No essential changes.)_

With greatest amusement Red noticed the changed status between Liz and Don although they were trying to pretend that nothing had happened. But Liz' eyes were shining; every time she looked at Don she smiled, she did her hair in a different way, and she finally put on some make-up again. She was definitely happy, and Red was sure that Sam would have liked Don. He had been able to fulfil the promise he had given to his old friend.

In fact, neither Don nor Liz were sure about their status. There hadn't been enough time in the morning to talk about it.

Later, when they were back in their room none of them knew how to start.

"Listen," Don finally said and sat down on the edge of the bed. "I... Maybe we... Hell, I haven't been in a situation like that for ages." They both laughed.

"Had you never had a girlfriend or at least an affair after Audrey's death?" Liz asked and sat down next to him.

"I didn't have the time. But it's not..." He had to laugh about himself, put an arm around her and pulled her closer. The feeling of being in love was pretty strong now, and it was more than just sexual attraction. He felt ridiculous that he wasn't able to express his feelings. He kissed her hair, pondered, hesitated. "Shall we try?" he finally asked.

Liz remembered what some women told her about men and talking about their feelings. She guessed that this question was pretty close to, "I love you." She cuddled up with him, feeling so happy as she probably had never been in her life before. "Try what?" she teased him. "A committed relationship?"

Don laughed. "I'm bad at those things, right? Yeah. I want you to stay. And we should stop calling the guest room a guest room. I guess you wanna share my bedroom from now on, but I think you should have a room for yourself as well."

"I've never been in your bedroom," she said.

"Guess it's time," he replied with a smile.

"What about Alice?" Liz asked. "Will it be okay for her? I mean, you were alone with her for more than five years, except Mrs. Lowry and the au pair girls. But if you had never been in a committed relationship before, she might be jealous."

"I don't think so. She likes you." Don was pretty sure that Alice was going to accept it. "We just have to explain it to her."

"You thought I just wanted to be with you because of her, right?" Liz asked after a moment of silence. When he nodded, she said, "You are the reason I wanted to split up with Tom. I realized it before I knew about Alice. But when I came to you that night I fell in love with everyone and everything, Alice, Mrs. Lowry, Rory, the house... I love the whole package."

"That's good," Don joked, "then we don't need to change anything. Except the guest room maybe."

When he kissed her she could feel that his feelings for her had to be really deep. There was a sexual desire, but also tenderness, respect, friendship. She had never been kissed like that before, and she was aware of that she would have to work on this relationship, work on herself. She couldn't simply be bitchy when she was in a bad mood, start a quarrel when something didn't get her way. He might be strong, but he was also sensitive, and when he was in love, he was it for real. This was something she had to respect.

A song line came to her mind, " _And somewhere there's someone, someone who cares with a heart of gold to have and to hold_ "*), and she knew, this relationship wasn't a gift she simply received, it was something she had to work for.

* * *

 **Sunday**

The next day of the negotiations began with an unpleasant interaction of the CIA. Red had to pull many strings to calm down Denisov, to get the CIA agent free and to clear the way for his own business partners.

He was tired in the evening, but he met with Don and Liz for dinner. With a smile he noticed the little signs that they had obviously decided to establish a committed relationship. They tried not to show in public, though. He pictured Liz with little Alice and smiled even more.

"Meera told us that Ferrent LC probably belong to The Alliance," Don said after a while.

Red nodded. "I'm not exactly sure how they are involved, but they are definitely a member. It must have begun when your grandfather ran the business, and your uncle went on with it."

"But how can they benefit from The Alliance?" Don wondered. "They only produce electro stuff."

"Have you ever asked yourself how a little company that produces TV-sets, radios, DVD-players and stuff like that - mainly in the U.S.! Which means they have to pay higher wages than they had to if they manufactured their products somewhere in Asia - can get so mighty and rich?" Red asked and sipped his wine.

"No," Don admitted. But it was true. Ferrent LC produced mainly in the U.S., a fact for which they were loved, but they weren't a market leader. Electro products of Ferrent LC were bought by people with money who preferred high quality. But even if the market sales were good, it wouldn't explain the richness and influence of the company and the family. After all, they didn't produce special luxury goods but electro stuff.

"I suppose they have a secret second division," Red said. "When Gorbachev became the Secretary-General of the Soviet Union in 1985 The Alliance saw their chance to get on undeveloped markets in the Eastern hemisphere. Oil, gas, gold... What you see here in Uzbekistan with Aneca Oil is just one example of deals The Alliance pushed through."

"So, the real reason we are here is because of The Alliance?" Liz asked.

Red smiled deviously. "To weaken them, yes. And as you can see the CIA is big in business. They made, and still make, deals like this one possible. Certain people with high access in the CIA are deep in the pocket of The Alliance. And I'm pretty sure Ferrent LC is involved in one of these deals. They won't build pipelines, but maybe they smuggle gold or whatever." He shrugged.

"Aneca Oil also belong to The Alliance?" Don asked.

"Yes. And I'm going to put them out of business," Red replied with a resolute nod.

* * *

 **Monday**

The next day Aneca Oil actually announced they would give up their business in Uzbekistan. And Red cleared the way for a French oil company he was working with. In a last negotiation with Denisov Red handed Commander Kushan to him and got a special service in return.

When he came back to the hotel where Liz and Don were packing their bags he told them, "Fine. You are ready. But we won't return to the States yet. First, we have to pay a visit to someone."

"To whom?" Liz asked, equally confused and distrustful. What was Red up to now? Travelling with him was like riding on the roller coaster.

"Ruslan was so thankful that he told me where to find The Major, Tom's handler. So we will have a stopover in Berlin, Germany. Shall we?"

* * *

 _*) To Have And To Hold, Depeche Mode, from the album Music For The Masses, 1987._


	22. Episode 20 - The Major Pt1

**June, 2015**

 **Monday**

They arrived in Berlin in the late evening. Red checked in an expensive hotel and booked a suite with a living room and three bedrooms.

"More space than in Uzbekistan," Don remarked when he and Liz entered their bedroom. It was a big room with a gigantic canopy bed in the middle, thick carpets, wallpapers made from silk, luxurious furniture, and a fireplace. "Somehow I feel like a dirty cop."

"This is definitely above our pay grade," Liz agreed with a laugh. "Red is pretty decadent, isn't he?"

"Maybe it's his only pleasure," Don said, "having enough money to buy every luxury."

"I don't think it makes you happy." Liz went over to the window and enjoyed the view across the city. "I wasn't aware of that Berlin is so big. It's a metropolis."

"Would you like to go out?" He put his hands around her waist from behind and pulled her close to his body, then kissed her neck. _Well, this definitely makes you happy_ , he thought. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so well.

"No. I'd rather know if that bed is as comfortable as it looks like," she replied and turned to him, then put her arms around his neck and kiss him.

* * *

 **Tuesday**

They discovered parts of the city the next day, when they accompanied Red. First, he spoke with Maxwell Rüdiger, then, with "the holiest man I've ever seen".

In the afternoon, they finally stood in front of The Major's safe house. They split up, Liz and Don took the front door, Dembe and Red took the back door. It turned out that there were three men in the house, The Major and two of his helpers. They pushed them into the biggest room, something like a living room, and tied them to chairs.

The Major went pale, when he recognized Red. He was the last person he ever wanted to meet.

"Don't look so stricken," Red said and sat down opposite to him. "We just want some information."

"I won't tell you anything about any clients," The Major replied. "That's bad for business."

"We need information about only one of your clients. If you don't tell us, we'll tear your whole business apart. They are cops," Red nodded to Don and Liz, "they just need to call their German colleagues for backup, and you're done. Tell us what we want to know, and we'll leave afterwards."

The Major pondered a moment before he said, "I guess you want to know who hired Tom Keen."

"We want to know everything about Tom Keen," Liz said, jumping at the chance to get some answers finally. "What's his real name?"

Sensing that there was no way out The Major gave in, "Jacob Phelps. He was one of my boys. I recruited him when he was fourteen and trained him to be a covert operative."

"Did he kill Viktor Fokin, the FSB agent? Or was it Gina Zanetakos?"

"They did it together, okay? When Jacob was about to be exposed, I asked Gina to take the fall. And I killed him because he took the job too serious. He liked you too much." The Major threw an angry look at Liz as if it was her fault that Tom had failed. "The danger he might tell you the truth about his mission and his employer was too high."

"What was his mission?" Liz asked.

"To find the Red Star."

"The Red Star?" They were all surprised about this answer. What that a different name for the Capitalist Manifesto or was it something completely different? They all remembered the red star carved into the top of the wooden box Liz had found underneath the floor. The answer to the question what Tom had been looking for had always been right in front of them.

"What is that thing?" Don asked.

The Major gave a shrug. "I don't know what it is. What I do know is that it is something Helen Younes once had."

"And who wanted him to find that thing?" Liz asked.

The Major swayed on his chair, but the shackles were too tight. He hesitated, finally he sighed. "Luther Braxton. But I don't think he's the real employer, just a stooge."

Don noticed that Red seemed to know that name, and when they were on their way back to the hotel he asked him, "Who the hell is Luther Braxton?"

Red scratched his head, deep in thoughts. "A thief. A clever and dangerous thief, but a thief. He might be a stooge for someone else, probably for the murderer of Angus and Helen Younes, but I don't think that the Red Star and the Capitalist Manifesto is the same thing. The Red Star must be something valuable, something you can sell for millions of dollars on the black market. I can't imagine that Braxton would be interested in dealing with The Alliance. That's too complex for him. And there is..." He broke off. He had to tell Liz the whole story, but he didn't know how.

"There's what?" Liz asked, but Red didn't go on.

* * *

When they arrived at the hotel, Red asked Don to come in his room.

"Do you still wanna share the bed with me?" Don tried to tease him, but Red wasn't in the mood for jokes.

He sat down on the edge of the bed. "Donald, this is a conversation I should have with Lizzie, but..." He took a deep breath. "I can't. I can't tell her. I... I need your help. I need you to tell her, and I need you to do something for me." He looked at the younger man in despair. The feeling of helplessness was one he detested about himself. He had never told anyone the whole story, and he didn't like to tell it Donald. On the other hand, the young agent was the only one he could think of.

Red had done so much for him in the past months that Don had been aware of that he might ask him for a favour in return one day. "To do what, Red?"

"Just to be yourself, a cop," Red assured him. "This is," he contemplated, "something like a confession."

Now, Don was really surprised. He sat down next to him. "Okay. I'm listening."

"Maybe you know that it isn't allowed to be married or to have children when you are attending Naval Academy," Red began, hesitant. He feared the inner pain that would hit him inevitably. "Well, I had a girlfriend at that time, Maryann. She got pregnant, and we decided to have the baby. The only people who knew that I was the father were Gordon Mays, my best friend, and Sam, Maryann's half brother and my other best friend."

Suddenly, Don was cold, a shiver ran down his spine, and he knew what Red was going to tell him. _Alice was right about his daughter._

"I was in Europe, when Mays sent me an invitation for a pre-Christmas weekend at a lonely cabin somewhere in Virginia. I thought it was his cabin and agreed. Later, I found out that the cabin belonged to a shell corporation I wasn't able to trace." Red paused, didn't look at Don, instead focussing the window opposite of him. "Due to the tight schedule Maryann and Isabelle, our daughter, drove ahead to meet me at the cabin later.

"I was late, and when I arrived at the cabin, it was already burning. I... I went in, and the first one I saw was... my daughter." His eyes filled with tears while he was recalling the pictures. His hands clenched the edge of the bed, when he went on, stammering, "Her throat was... slit, so was her stomach... her viscera... as if they had looked for something inside of her... Her beautiful blond hair was covered with blood..." He stroked his own hair. It was a gesture of despair; his hand was trembling.

"Her eyes looked at me, wide open, but they were dead. There was blood everywhere. All I could see was blood." He took a deep breath, but it didn't help to feel any better. "Next, I saw Maryann... the same... she... she was pregnant at that time, and they... it would have been a boy..." His voice broke, and he was breathing heavily.

Don had to fight back his tears. This story probably explained everything. It was the reason Red had turned from a highly respected officer into a villain. Who could get over something like that? He got closer and put an arm around Red's shoulders.

Red had expected Donald would do something like that. Being prepared for it, he was able to avoid having a nervous breakdown. "When I finally went into the next room I saw two more bodies. There was a lot of smoke. I couldn't see clearly. I guess, it was Angus and Helen Younes. At least, that was what Mays told me, when I made him talk later. He said he had invited the Younes for negotiations. My family was chosen because the members of The Alliance weren't sure how much I knew about Helen Younes and Joseph McCray, but I didn't know anything." He shook his head and paused.

"The fire got worse. Suddenly, I heard a noise behind me, and before I could turn I was knocked to the ground. When I was able to have a look, I saw a guy-it wasn't Braxton-standing by the door. Mays told me later that they didn't know who he was. Obviously, Mays and some of his friends from The Alliance met at the cabin and had a talk with the Younes. Suddenly, that guy and some other men came in, asked for something, argued with Angus Younes. Unfortunately, I didn't ask what the argument was about or why members of The Alliance were there."

"Which members were there?"

"As far as I know Diane Fowler, Leland Porter and your grandfather, George Ferrent."

Don starred at him, shocked. He had never had much contact with his grandfather. It had always seemed as if the old man wasn't interested in him. But Don had thought of him being a decent man.

"Then, Lizzie turned up," Red went on. "Obviously, she hid during the massacre, then she came out because of the smoke. She just stood there, shocked, unable to move, starring at us. The guy started moving towards her, but a burning beam crashed down between him and me-I was closer to Lizzie-and he turned and left the cabin. I guess, he thought we would burn to death. But I managed somehow to get up, and we escaped through a window at the backside."

"You were heavily burnt." Don stroked Red's back, trying to imagine how the older man must have felt in that situation.

Red suppressed a hysterical laughter. He had done so many evil things since that night, he didn't deserve Donald's care, and still, it felt good. "Yes, but that's the last thing you care about when you had just lost your entire family. Naomi-or Carla-and Jennifer never were family for me. They were means to an end, although I liked them."

"Wasn't it difficult to have two families at the same time?" Don evaded to ask further questions about Maryann and Isabelle to make it easier for Red.

Red took a deep breath, feeling a little better now, although the inner pain he had tried to avoid for years was back. "Oh, yeah. And I didn't like it. I felt guilty. Maryann and I had many arguments about it. Several times she threatened to leave me."

"Maryann knew about Carla?" Don looked at him in surprise.

"I don't know why, but I always felt obligated to the rules of the Naval Academy." Red smiled grimly. "I couldn't lie to her. I cheated on her, but she knew it was my job. She didn't like my job, of course, but yes, she knew it. Today, I wish I had never accepted that job. I should have married Maryann after graduating from Naval Academy, no matter what people would have said."

"The house in Takoma Park," Don understood, "it's where you lived with Maryann and Isabelle."

"Yes. I thought it would help to destroy it, but it didn't." Red stared at the window, without noticing the lights of the city out there. For him it was as dark as the gap in his heart.

There was a moment of silence. Don got aware of that Red's situation with Carla was like a reflection of Tom's situation with Liz. And the murder of Audrey was a reflection of the murder of Maryann, with the exception that the doctors had been able to save Alice. Both times alleged best friends and other people you should be able to trust, supervisors, people with high access, had been responsible for it.

And here they sat, the case agent and the criminal. Don couldn't deny that he trusted Red, that he liked him. Of course, Red had committed several crimes, and Don wouldn't acquit him of them, but he was finally able to understand why Red had turned the table. He had been betrayed by those who supposedly served this country. When Red leaked classified information, he did what people with higher access had done long before him.

Don also understood why Red had tried to hold him off from taking vengeance. Red had done that in the first years after the night of the fire, until he had realized that it was the wrong way. By then, it had been too late to go back.

"I drove to Mays," Red went on with his story. "The child in my back seat. I left her in the car, when I went in. I was," he tried to remember how he felt back then, but there was just a deep, black pit. "When I shot him I felt bad. Just bad. Worse than before. I got Lizzie out of the car, stole another one and brought her to Sam. She told us that her name was Trishy, and I was pretty sure she was Beatrice, Helen Younes's daughter. Sam made her get used to Lizzie, and we changed her name to Elizabeth in order to keep her safe. And because of..."

"Isabelle is a variant of Elizabeth," Don said, when Red didn't go on.

Red nodded. "I left then. I couldn't stay. I was a murderer. No matter what Mays had done. I..." He paused again and sighed before he looked at Don, pain in his eyes. "I need you to reinvestigate this case. Maybe your colleagues back then missed something, and we can find out about this Capitalist Manifesto or the Red Star before we gonna try to track Braxton down, although I bet that he's working for that guy who came to the cabin and..." He broke off.

Don nodded and stroked Red's shoulder. "I'll do my best," he promised.

 _Sometimes he's too good for his own good_ , Red thought, but he didn't say it out loud. It didn't feel good to seek help from Donald, on the other hand, he felt somehow consoled. "Yeah, I know."

* * *

When Don entered his and Liz's room, she saw at once that he was sad and upset. "What did he tell you?"

Don sat down on the edge of the bed. "Alice was right, Red's daughter is dead." He repeated what Red had told him, and Liz was shocked.

"Do you think I can't remember anything because I watched all this?" she asked after a while, tears in her eyes. "That my brain simply blocked that memory because it would have been too much?"

"It's possible." He lay down, and Liz huddled against him, put her head on his chest, listened to the regular beating of his heart. It calmed her down, although there were many thoughts in her head. She remembered the story Red had told The Stewmaker, and she repeated it to Don. "It was his own story. Maybe it was a try to tell me what had happened. But why didn't he tell me directly?"

"I think because he wasn't sure he would be able to tell you without crying or having a nervous breakdown," Don said with a little, sad smile. "He sees himself as a father figure. His daughter died that night, and you stepped into his life. You were the only one he was able to safe. That's why he doesn't want you to see him weak and in despair."

"You guys are so strange." Liz shook her head, uncomprehending. "But it was okay to cry in front of you?"

"I'm the son he never had." When Red had told him about the male baby, Don had realized that this was the main reason he obviously liked him so much. Red's son had never been born, and Don reminded him of himself. Of course, Don was older than Red's son would have been today, but he was young enough that he could be his son. They even shared the same blood type, and they both felt obligated to certain values. "It's not a good feeling to show weakness in front of your son, but it's acceptable."

"That's a strange thing between you two," she remarked.

"Yeah. I'm the son he never had, and he's the father I never had." He hesitated, but then he brought himself to explain to her, "My own father never had any time for me. I told you he was a racer. The next race was almost more important than anything else. And there was always a next race. He had never been in love with my mom. She was a pit babe in his eyes. Nothing more. When I happened - I definitely wasn't planned - he married her, but he was never nice to her. He cheated on her, called her names, later he even beat her occasionally. He wasn't interested in me, unless he could put me in a racing cart. Finally, she sought divorce, and we moved to her family in D.C.

"First, I was sad," he admitted. "As most boys I wanted to make my father proud. I tried to see only his good sides, wanted to be with him. But I had to realize pretty soon that he wasn't interested in any contact. It wasn't that old story that a mother tries to cut off the contact, he simply didn't write or call. When I got older I tried to make him pay attention, but he never wrote back, never reacted when I invited him. He didn't even come by when I graduated from university. So I gave up, disappointed. The first time I ever heard from him was when he was going to die. I thought he would tell me he was sorry that he had never been there for me, but he just didn't want to be alone in his last hour."

"That's so sad," Liz said with tears in her eyes, and caressed his chest. She tried to imagine him as a boy, and she guessed that he had been a sweet child.

"And Reddington is," Don contemplated, "he might have become a villain, and there's a dark, cruel side, but he's also still decent. He always treats me as if I were a son he has to look after and push on the right way," he tried to explain his feelings. "Somehow it feels strange because I'm still the case agent. But it also feels good. It's, you know, if he had been my father, he would have been in the first row when I graduated, being proud. That's the difference, you know?"

She nodded. "I guess it was an awful disappointment to stand at an important point of your life, and no one is there to share it with you. I think I must be really thankful that Red brought me to Sam. I may have lost my real parents, but Sam was always there for me."


	23. Episode 20 - The Major Pt2

**Wednesday**

Late at night, they arrived in D.C., equally tired and wide away as it was typical for a jet lag. Everyone in the house was already asleep. Only Rory who was lying on the couch in the living room lifted his head, when they entered the house. But he went back to sleep right away.

"I guess it's time," Don said when they went upstairs. He took her hand and lead her to the room at end of the corridor on the first floor. "Not, that it is anything special."

"It is something special," Liz whispered. She was looking forward to sharing _his_ bed with him.

"Not the room." He opened the door and turned on the light.

The room was furnished in the same style as the other rooms of the house, the same light wood, the same colours, mostly white and blue. It was a normal bedroom with a queen-size bed, a closet, a dresser, and some boards.

"I like it," Liz said and sat down on the bed.

"I probably should buy a bigger bed if you want to stay here more often," he said with a sceptical look at it.

"Maybe," she lay down and writhed, "but for the moment this is big enough." Suddenly, she remembered something and jumped up. "Wait," she said and left the room in a hurry. A few minutes later, she came back with two glasses and a bottle of wine.

"This is a wine I made with my father, Sam, when I was a child," she explained. "Red gave it to me at my birthday and told me to share it with someone special. I was waiting for the right moment to share it with you." She looked at him with shining eyes.

Don was deeply moved, especially when he noticed her look. She was really deeply in love with him. "I'm honoured. But when you made it with Sam it's probably very old. You sure it's drinkable?"

Liz laughed. "No, I'm not, but I guess we'll find out."

Don locked the door and sat down next to her on the edge of the bed. "I'm sure we will."

"Are you afraid Alice might come in and see us together?" she asked, nodding to the door.

"No, but Rory will. And I couldn't stand him watching me while... Especially when you know that the poor guy is caponized."

Liz laughed and opened the bottle, then poured the wine in the glasses. They both tried the wine very carefully and grimaced in disgust.

"I think, there's a another bottle downstairs," Don said. "Do you mind when we drink that instead?"

* * *

 **Thursday**

Don searched for a case file about a murder or fire in the cabin Red had told him about, but he couldn't find anything.

"Either The Alliance made this case disappear," he said to Liz, "or the cabin had never been discovered. According to Red it is here." He showed her a map in his cell phone and pointed to a place in Virginia.

"That's in the middle of nowhere," she said and enlarged the map. "There aren't even roads. There isn't anything that looks like a cabin or a house."

"I guess I have to go there and find out."

Liz hesitated, feeling scared for an indefinite reason. "I don't think I want to go there."

"You don't have to." He didn't dare to kiss her when they were in their office. Every minute someone could come in. So he only stroked her arm. "I can take Meera."

* * *

When Don put Alice to bed, he asked her, "Do you think it's okay if Liz stays a while?"

"Sure," she replied and cuddled up in her blanket, "I like her. She's kinda cool."

"And when she", he was searching for the right words, "when she would be more for me than just a friend?"

Alice giggled. "Are you in love with her?"

"I guess so." He was embarrassed. "It has nothing to do with you. Nothing and no one will ever change my love for you, okay?" He caressed her hair, then kissed her on the forehead. "But I would like to try to live with her, if it is okay for you."

Alice thought about it for a moment. "Will you kiss her and stuff like that?"

Don blushed and was glad that Alice couldn't see it in the half-light of the room. "Think so."

She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Maybe you should do this in your bedroom."

"If I do it there, it's okay?" he asked with a smile.

"Is she going to be my mom?"

"Not if you don't want to."

"Okay, then you can kiss her," she decided.

Don knew it meant she was fine with the situation as such, but wanted to wait a while to see how things would develop. He had expected a different answer, but he could understand that she wanted to be careful. At least, it was a completely new situation for her.

* * *

 **Friday**

When Don and Meera got ready to set out for the cabin the next day, Liz changed her mind and wanted to come with them.

Meera looked at her, then at Don, smiled and got out of the car. "I guess I'm not needed."

It took them almost four hours to get to the lonely place in Virginia, not far from the border to West Virginia. They left all villages behind, and at some point normal roads. The GPS in the car lead them deeper and deeper into the woods.

"This is really a lonely area," Don said when he was following dirty paths. Probably, only hunters and park rangers knew this area. Finally, he had to stop the car when the path in front of him got too small.

They got out of the car and walked. No one seemed to care about this part of the wood. Big trees closed around them, brushwood narrowed the path they were following.

"It must be somewhere there," Don pointed to the place in front of them, but there was nothing than trees, bushes and big green stones.

Liz felt scared. She had begun to get nervous when they had left the road, but now she was in sheer panic. She had never felt more scared in her life. Fearfully, she held on to Don's arm.

"Do you remember anything?" Don asked when he noticed how scared she was.

"No, not really. It's just... I don't know. Maybe it's because of The Stewmaker." She shrugged. "Or... I don't know. Do you think you can feel something like the vibrations of the evil?"

"It's not a nice place, that's for sure," Don said, and thought that this part of the wood was somehow dark. "Shall I take you back to the car?"

But the idea of waiting alone in the car made Liz even more nervous. So she shook her head and stumbled forward, holding his arm tightly.

They went on without noticing anything. It had been a clearing once. Old, big trees surrounded a place with younger trees, bushes and stones. It might have been a good place for a cabin once. Not far from here was a slope with a breathtaking view over a valley.

Finally, Don realized that one of the big stones was in fact the cabin. The beams had broken during the fire, the rooftop had fallen down. Later, moss had grown over it so it looked like the other big stones surrounding it.

"That's why it was never investigated," he said, trying to imagine what the cabin had looked like back then.

"Do you think the bodies are still there?" Liz stared fearfully at the remains of the building, and held his hand so tightly that it hurt. But he didn't pull it back.

"Bones," he corrected her. "It's 25 years ago. But yes, I guess, the bones are still there. We will need a big forensic team. Otherwise, we will just destroy evidence or need weeks to get some. Let's go back, all right?" He put his arm around her shoulders and lead her back to the car.

* * *

 **Monday**

In Virginia, the forensic team started to collect evidence.

In D.C., Cooper asked Attorney General Reven Wright to meet with him at his office at The Embassy. His own and Meera's investigations had shown that Wright had no contact with any of the possible members of The Alliance.

He told her everything about their situation, The Alliance, and the events in the past months. "We need to move very carefully, but we can't tolerant this group, no matter how mighty they may been."

"I agree," Wright said, stunned. She could hardly believe what she had been told, and was sure this was going to be one hell of a ride. But like Cooper she was determined to disempower The Alliance.

* * *

 **Friday**

The forensic team had found three female and two male skeletons in the cabin. DNA taken from the bone marrow or the teeth helped to identify the female skeletons. The profile of the youngest victim matched Red's DNA. It was his daughter, Isabelle. Her profile matched one of the older victims. This had to be her mother, Maryann. The third female skeleton matched Liz's DNA. She was her biological mother and, consequently, Helen Younes. If one of the male skeletons was Angus Younes, he wasn't Liz's biological father.

"I didn't know that there was another body," Red said when they told him about the results. "I have no idea who else might have died there. Probably one of the attackers. I had never seen Angus Younes, so I can't say for sure if one of the bodies I saw was his. Maybe he's still alive."

* * *

 **Saturday**

It was a warm, sunny day, and they spent it in the garden behind the house. On the spur of the moment, they decided to have a barbeque. Don left to buy a few things for it, while Liz and Alice kept playing the game they had just begun.

Liz had been disappointed, when she heard that Alice wasn't enthusiastic about their changed status. On the other hand, she probably really needed some time to get used to it. When they were together like now, Alice seemed to enjoy having Liz around. So Liz decided to take it easy and move slowly.

When they heard that someone opened the door to the back garden, they interrupted their game. But it wasn't Don who entered the garden but an older couple. Alice startled and hid behind Liz.

Liz was confused, but she understood that the girl obviously knew them and was scared of them. So she didn't move.

"We came to see Audrey," the woman said. She tried to look at Alice, but she hid her face at Liz's hip.

 _Audrey?_ Liz realized that these were Alice's grandparents. _But why the hell do they call her Audrey?_ "It seems that she doesn't want to see you," she said with a friendly smile. She didn't know what was going on and didn't want to cause any trouble for Don or Alice.

"No, her father is trying to hide her from us," the man said. "He took her away from us and doesn't allow us to see her."

"I can't tell you anything about that." Liz hoped Don would be back soon. She guessed that Don had a good reason not to have Alice spend time with them. It seemed as if they were still grief-stricken and had lost touch with reality.

"Are you the new au pair girl he was talking about?" The grandmother asked scornfully. She looked Liz over from head to toe in disgust.

Liz wasn't sure what Don would want her to say. This was obviously an ongoing problem that had begun long time ago. She could make it worse by saying the wrong thing.

She was still hesitating, when Alice suddenly made a step forward, although she held on to Liz's thigh with both hands. "She's gonna marry my dad. Then she'll be my mum, and I don't need to see you ever again!" she said angrily. Then, she hid her face at Liz's leg again, and Liz could feel that she was crying.

She put her hand on Alice's head to signalize her that she was protecting her. At that moment, she knew how it felt to be a mother. "I think it's better you leave now," she told the couple. "It's obvious that she doesn't want the same as you."

"That's what Donald makes her say." The grandfather wasn't convinced. "Everyone can see that Audrey isn't happy here."

"Well, I'm really his girlfriend, not the au pair girl," Liz retorted. "And _Alice_ was happy, until the moment _you_ turned up."

They finally left, and Liz knelt down in front of Alice. She had never seen her crying before, and it almost broke her heart. "Everything's gonna be alright, honey," she told her, then caressed her hair and her cheeks. "Look, I won't marry your dad if you don't want that. I won't try to be your mum unless you want me to. And your dad will never, really _never_ love me more than he loves you. Simply because there's a big difference between loving a partner and loving a child, you know? There's nothing you need to worry about, okay?"

Alice nodded and tried to smile, although the tears were still running down her cheeks. Then, she put her arms around Liz's neck and cuddled up with her. "It's okay if you marry him."


	24. Episode 21 - Luther Braxton Pt1

**July, 2015**

Red was travelling around, following several leads on Braxton, and Cooper gave his agents a few days off. This time, Liz agreed when Don asked her to go on a vacation with him and Alice.

They went to the Eastern Shore of Maryland, stayed at little bed and breakfast houses, went to the beach, visited some sights, went shopping, joined in some activities, and made a trip to the Assateague Island so Alice could see the wild ponies.

It was the vacation Liz had dreamt of in the time when she hadn't known how to approach Don. She learned a lot about him and Alice in these days, likes, dislikes, behaviour in certain situations, interests.

Don was, as he admitted, a "boring guy". He had no hobbies except sports, reading, listening to music, and watching TV. Due to his job there wasn't any time for anything else. Whenever he had some time off, he spent it with Alice.

Liz wasn't patient enough for a real hobby. She had begun many things, but had never kept doing anything special. Since she had been working with the FBI, she hadn't enough time anyway.

"Metallica?" she asked, after she had listened to a song in his MP3 player, while they were enjoying the sunny weather at a beach.

"Yeah. So?"

"That's Heavy Metal."

"It's Thrash Metal," he corrected her, "that's a different genre." He noticed that she wasn't enthusiastic. "Don't tell me you like Nickelback or something like that."*)

Liz frowned while she was trying to think about her favourite music. "I don't have a favourite band, I only listen to the radio sometimes."

"You need to learn something about real music," he said and gave her the player back. "Otherwise, I'm never gonna marry you."

She laughed and had another try. Of course, it was much too early to think about a marriage, but it gave her a warm feeling that he seemed to think about it.

* * *

 **August, 2015**

 **Tuesday**

Out of the blue an anonymous caller told them that Luther Braxton supposedly had a safe house in an old warehouse.

When Don and Liz arrived there, they had the instant feeling that something was wrong. They stayed in the car, observing the area carefully. It was a quiet neighbourhood, no one was on the street. They couldn't see or hear anything suspicious.

"It's the same area where Tom was found," Don said.

"And again it was someone anonymous who called the hotline," Liz added. "Maybe they wanted us to see Tom die, to make a point."

"We should call a SWAT-team," Don reached for his phone, "This could be a trap."

"Connolly?"

"Maybe. Cooper doesn't tell him anything important anymore, but Connolly has access to our system. And we were following some leads on Braxton the past few days." He was about to add something when, suddenly, the window on the driver's side burst with a loud bang and broke into pieces. Something hit him hard at his left shoulder and caused a terrible pain.

In the same moment, the front passenger's door was flung open and two men grabbed Liz and pulled her out of the car before she could even scream. They dragged her to a white van, threw her into it, and drove off.

It all happened so fast that Don had no chance to react. _Oh my God, Liz!_ His heart was pumping hard, and he feared for her. He started the car in a great hurry, tried to follow the van. Maybe he was able to have at least a look at the licence plate or anything that could help.

When he arrived at the end of the road, he saw the white van pulling right, and he drove faster. Although his left arm was burning like fire he held the wheel with his left hand and reached for his cell phone with his right hand. For a second he was about to call Cooper, but then he dialled the number Red had given him for emergency cases.

"Someone abducted Liz," he told him. "Maybe Braxton. I don't know. Someone gave us a canned message, and we ran right into a trap. I'm trying to follow the van, but they are pretty fast and far ahead."

 _Or it's The Alliance_ , Red thought, worried. Leland Porter, the new director of The Alliance, had already demanded proof. It was possible that he was trying to put pressure on him. "Where are you?" he asked, and Don told him his location.

Three corners more, and the van was out of sight. "I lost it," Don said in despair. "It's a white van, Virginia plate. MW-something, a 7 in the end. There was a logo at the back, something looking like a pretzel, and a name, baroque letters in gold, Wilson or something like that."

"I think I know how we can find her," Red said. "Don't tell Cooper! He can't control the information. Let's meet at one of my safe houses."

* * *

Liz was brought to an abandoned house. In former times, it had been a villa. There was even a room with a swimming pool.

Finally, she was introduced to Luther Braxton. "I heard you were looking for me," he said with a mean smile. "I thought I should make it easier for you."

"You should know that I don't have what you are looking for," she retorted. "You wasted a lot of time and money on a spy who got you nothing. Asking me directly won't get you any other result."

"Well, we'll see about that."

Following that, he tried to make her tell him what her mother gave to her by torturing her, but she couldn't recall any recollections.

Finally, Braxton gave up, and abducted Dr. Orchard and her son. He told Dr. Orchard to reconstruct Liz's memories about the night of the fire.

"How old was she when it happened?" Dr. Orchard asked.

"Two years and eight months."

Dr. Orchard shook her head. "Do you remember anything of that age? Children that age don't have a long-term memory. You can take a child that age from its real parents and give it to new ones, and after a while it'll come to believe it had always lived there. There will be only a few pictures, like snapshots, from the very early childhood, and maybe a faint feeling that something was different before. But never a complete memory."

"Not even about an evil, very important event?" Braxton asked.

"Sometimes. But in the majority of the cases the brain blocks bad memories, especially of the early childhood. For a good reason-to keep sane. There'll be just the knowledge that something bad happened and a few pictures. That's all."

"I want you to try," Braxton insisted.

Dr. Orchard sighed and turned to Liz, "Is there anything you remember about that night?"

"There was a fire." Liz shrugged. She had calmed down, wasn't so scared anymore. Perhaps, Dr. Orchard was even able to help her. On the other hand, Red had told them what had happened, and it was definitely nothing she wanted to remember.

"I was told a few things about that night lately, and I think I can remember a burning room, a man lying on the floor, and someone else running away. But I'm not sure whether these are really my own recollections. I think I just remember it because I was told that it happened."

Dr. Orchard nodded. "The human brain is tricky. We are able to forget things completely, and we are able to remember things that had never happened. We just like the story, the idea, or the explanation. For instance, someone is very shy and doesn't know how to approach the opposite sex. You can make this person believe that their problems arise from a sexual abuse in their early childhood, although it never happened."

She turned to Braxton, "I can try to raise these memories, but I can't tell you whether she is able to remember anything that had happened _before_ the moment the fire broke out. The fire is the most impressive memory. When she got something right before this moment, she might have simply forgotten about it."

Then, she tried, but as she had said, Liz wasn't able to remember anything that had happened before the fire. She added a gunshot, a fight, loud voices, but that was all she could recollect.

* * *

In the meantime, Don had arrived at Red's safe house and became a member of his team. Strange people belonged to it, but to his surprise they were all kind and hard-working.

"You are bleeding." Mr. Kaplan, who he met for the first time, got a first aid kit and had a look at his shoulder. "Probably caused by a stone."

When Don heard that Red called her "Kate", he looked at her carefully. "You are Catherine Reddington, his sister." He had only seen a few pictures of her as a much younger woman, and he thought that she had got pretty old. She looked older than Red, although she was younger than him. And she had changed a lot.

"Pretty close," she replied with a smile. "I'm the cousin. After a while, Catherine decided to lead her own life, and I took her place. But I learned a lot from her."

Don remembered that there was a ten years older cousin named Kate who had been a doctor and disappeared about fifteen years ago.

Dembe lent him a sweatshirt because the jacket of his suit and the shirt both were in tatters and bloody. Then, Don teamed up with Samar.

It soon became clear that it had been Braxton who had abducted Liz. The only good thing about it was that he probably wouldn't kill her. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to get what he wanted.

"You seemed like a trained field agent," Don said to Samar, while there were following a lead together.

She smiled. "I was with Mossad before I joined Reddington's team."

"Why did you quit?"

"I killed The Scimitar," Samar replied, "because he murdered my brother. Reddington has a deeper understanding for people who kill someone to take vengeance."

They were able to track a medical student down from whom Braxton had bought special drugs. He told them where he had the drugs delivered to. Red, Dembe and some of the mercenaries belonging to Red's team reached the location first and freed Liz. When Don and Samar arrived, Liz, although feeling weak, rushed towards him immediately and flung her arms around his neck.

"What did he do to you?" Don asked, but she just shook her head, unable to speak, and pressed herself close to him. "I want home," she whispered finally.

"All right, I'll see you home," Don said, worried about her, but also glad to have her back. He caressed her hair and noticed that it was slightly wet. _What the hell happened here?_

"But first," she took a deep breath and looked at Braxton who was in custody of Red's men, "I want to know what this is all about."

* * *

A little later, they sat down in one of the rooms of the facility.

Braxton realized that he had no chance to get out of this. "Fine. I was contracted to find the Red Star."

"What is this Red Star?" Liz asked. She sat close to Don and held on to his arm. It still hurt, especially when she held it so tightly, but he didn't say anything.

"I don't know," Braxton said. "I was hired by a guy who gave me five million dollars in advance. It took me three years to find you," he said to Liz, "and he gave me ten million. If I can bring him the Red Star, he will give me fifteen million. I would say this is a good price. I don't care what that thing is." He shrugged.

"So, you hired Tom Keen to find out what the Red Star is und bring it to you," Liz said. "Why not abducting me at once?"

Braxton laughed scornfully. "That would have been stupid, wouldn't it? What if you didn't remember? What if you didn't know where it is? Killing you wasn't an option because you are the only one who know where it is."

"Well, I don't know where it is or what it is." Liz's voice was cold.

"I had to try it," Braxton replied, "because he happened." He threw an angry look at Red. "He turned up at that hospital where Sam died, threatened Tom, then he surrendered himself to the FBI, and got closer and closer. You are like a dog with a bone." He shook his head.

"And in the end, you got nothing, Luther," Red said with a condescending smile.

"You abducted the sister of one of our agents and blackmailed him for information about our cases," Liz said. "You sent The Kingmaker to distract us from Tom. And later, you teamed up with Berlin."

"Yes, but that was a big mistake because this Lucy Brooks lead you directly to Tom," Braxton admitted. "Well, when I had to tell The Major to get rid of Tom because he was compromised, I came back to the third party. The one who had breached the Post Office. They compromised our asset, but maybe they wouldn't be so stupid and careless as Berlin. It turned out that they were also looking for something Helen Younes might have given to her daughter. But it is something different. A microfilm. I don't know what the Red Star is, but it is definitely not a microfilm."

"You teamed up with The Alliance?" Red raised an eyebrow.

"Well, they are crazy about to kill you." Braxton grinned. "It was a good deal. I get the Red Star, they get the microfilm, you will die-a happy end."

"I guess, you spoke with Leland Porter," Red assumed.

"Yes."

"And who do you work for? Who is that guy who paid you fifteen million dollars for nothing?"

Braxton laughed. "His name will get you nothing. He lives in the shadows, hides behind shell companies and stooges. You won't be able to find Salumbides."

* * *

 _*) I don't know whether Ressler would like Metallica, but I know that Diego does. ;) And a big sorry to every Nickelback-fan. :D_


	25. Episode 21 - Luther Braxton Pt2

**Wednesday**

Liz woke up from a terrible nightmare about people getting shot and slashed, and there was a fire in which she drowned. She sighed in relief when she realized that she was lying in Don's arms.

In the meantime, she had furnished the guest room for her own needs with a studio couch instead of the bed and a desk so she could use it as an office, and as a little hideaway when she needed time for herself. But right now, she was glad that she wasn't alone. Don was really the only one she felt safe and secure with.

Don woke up because she was moving. "You all right?" he asked sleepy.

Liz smiled. This was typical for him. He always looked after other people first. "I'm always all right when I'm with you."

"That was a bad day the other day." He caressed her hair and her cheek, glad to have her back. When he had feared for her life, he had realized once more how much he loved her.

"Yeah." She sighed. "I wish we could find these mysterious things and give them back. It would simplify matters."

"I have an idea where they could be."

"Yeah?" Liz looked at him full of hope.

Don smiled. "After breakfast, okay?"

* * *

Later, they drove to an evidence garage of the FBI where the forensic team had stored all the things they had found in the cabin.

My guess is that you simply lost whatever your mother gave to you that day," Don said. "I mean, you were a little girl, a toddler, there was a fire, and you had better things to do than to look after whatever. So, there's a distinct possibility that it is here." He pointed to the mess around them.

Liz looked at the many things that were stored in boxes, spread out on plastic sheets-books, a shoe, a plastic bottle... some of them so burnt and rotten that it was impossible to tell what it had been once. She wrinkled her nose, but then she put on gloves, and they went through the things.

"That's it!" she suddenly shouted when she discovered a bunny. "That's what she gave to me. I think in the plane on the way to D.C."

Don got to her, and they examined the half burnt, dirty bunny. "There's something inside," he noticed. He got a pair of scissors and cut it open.

"A key," Liz said in surprise. "Could belong to a deposit box."

"Let's find out."

* * *

While Red was holding Braxton captive and made him call Porter to assure him that he was getting close to what he was looking for, both teams - Red's team and the FBI - were trying to find out what the key might belong to.

Late in the evening, it turned out that only a hotel in New York City had keys like these for their deposit boxes. The hotel still existed, and they were assured that the box was still there.

* * *

 **Thursday**

Early in the morning of the following day, Don and Liz headed to New York. The hotel was a five-star-luxury house, but it obviously had a special clientele: rich criminals who were untouchable because there weren't any witnesses or evidence to tie them to a crime.

"You have to pay two million dollars for a deposit box," the concierge explained to them while he lead them to the strongroom. "You buy it. It belongs to you for as long as you wish."

After he had left, they opened the box with the number 287. They discovered several boxes. The flat ones contained five paintings.

"I'm sure I've seen this one in a catalogue of stolen goods," Don said, holding a painting in his hands.

"And I think I saw this one," Liz added when she opened another box containing a little, golden statue.

"I'm afraid, we know now the speciality of your mother," Don remarked when they discovered more and more jewellery and other works of art.

"She was a thief. And maybe McCray didn't give her the microfilm, but she stole it. Here it is." It was attached to the bottom of a statue.

"And this is the Red Star," Don said when he opened the last box.

It was a diamond. A big jewel, cut in the most brilliant way, like a star, glittering reddish in the light.

Although it was a beautiful piece and probably worth millions, Liz was disappointed. "That's why they were all killed? Because of a diamond?"

* * *

Later that day, they met with Red, and had a look at the microfilm. On it was a copy of a file called the "Capitalist Manifesto". In it was listed who had been involved in the business transactions The Alliance had begun in the 1980's in the Soviet Union.

As Red had already found out pipelines, refineries and mines were sabotaged, destroyed, then rebuilt with the "help" of foreign companies. People had been assassinated, others were sponsored to make the "right decision", politicians were paid. It was a manifest of crime, and some people who had been involved back then were still in high positions in economy, politics, departments, or intelligence agencies.

One chapter caught their special interest. It was about a diamond mine in Russia. The Alliance had "helped" to win more diamonds than ever before. The extra was smuggled out of the country, then was laundered by Angus Younes's syndicate via South Africa and Antwerp, Belgium, so the diamonds could be sold as legal won jewels. Ferrent LC sold the diamonds on the American market as their secret second division, the benefit was shared with the members of The Alliance.

"No wonder I've never found out anything about Angus Younes or Salumbides," Red said. "The diamond business is the most discreet one. Nothing gets in or out but trust." He took a deep breath. "Well, I think it's time to talk to Leland Porter."

"Don't kill that guy," Don said, worried about things might get worse. "It won't help."

"No, it wouldn't help," Red agreed. "The Alliance is like a Hydra. You cut off one head, and two new heads will grow. Extortion is the only way to keep them calm."

* * *

 **Friday**

In the evening, they all met at Porter's house. When Liz and Don entered the living room, they both gasped. Red had hung Braxton's body up right in the doorway. It was one of those moments when they were remembered of his dark side.

A second later, Porter arrived, surprised about his unexpected visitors. He was stunned when he saw the body. "What the hell are you doing in my house? And what..."

But Red cut him short. "Sit your ass down and shut up," he told him in a cold tone. "You demanded proof that I have that damn microfilm. Well, I have it. We made you a copy." He threw a file with the Capitalist Manifesto on the table.

Porter had a short glance at it and went pale. Finally, he sat down.

"It's our turn now," Red said. "It's time to renew the agreement I had with Fitch. And it's time you tell us the truth about the night of the fire."

Porter swayed in his chair, hesitated. "Everything started with Helen," he finally said. "I don't know her real name or where she was from. She was my lover. One day she gave me a classified file she had stolen from me. She was a clever thief, a con artist. I thought that her skills might be useful and asked her to spy on Angus Younes to make sure he wouldn't betray us." He paused and looked at Liz. "She took this job too seriously. She married Younes and made him believe our daughter was his."

It took her a moment to understand what he was trying to tell her. She stared at him in disbelief. "You... you are..."

"Yes." Porter nodded. "I'm your biological father."

She was horrified because she didn't like him at all. His name was mentioned very often in the Capitalist Manifesto. He was a murderer, a spy, a corrupt bastard. He had cold eyes, was a sleazy guy. She wouldn't even want to touch him. Her mother not only had been a thief, she also had had a very poor taste in men!

"We began to hate each other," Porter went on. "I guess, that's why McCray gave her a copy of the microfilm. But we didn't know that back then. We had reason to believe that McCray gave it you." He looked at Red.

"I guess, you know that Mays was a member of The Alliance," he went on. "As you were Mays's best friend we decided to be careful. At the same time, George Ferrent noticed that the Red Star, that Younes had sold to him, was a fake. We decided to have a little chat with Younes. That's why we all met at this cabin. But you were late, suddenly that guy with some men came in, there was an argument. Younes said he had never sold the Red Star to Ferrent and, of course, not a forged jewel. That guy wanted something back, probably the diamond, we wanted the copy of the Manifesto back, and tried to make Mays get it from you. I don't know, it was a mess.

"Suddenly, Younes said that the girl had it. We thought he was talking about the microfilm because that was the main subject at that moment, and he looked at your daughter," Porter said to Red. "All of a sudden, there was a fight, lots of chaos, the damn Christmas tree fell, the room caught fire. We all left in hurry. Consequently, we don't know what happened afterwards."

"He killed them all," Red said with a cold voice. The inner pain was back, and he had to hold himself off to kill Porter. Probably, Lizzie wouldn't want him to kill her biological father, and Donald would be disappointed. "You could have saved them."

Porter shrugged. He didn't seem to care about the fact that five people had died that night. "We didn't know that the Younes had their daughter with them. I was the only one who knew that she existed, by the way, and we didn't see her that night. When you surrendered to the FBI and insisted speaking with Elizabeth Keen, a foundling, we thought about the possibility that Angus Younes hadn't talked about your daughter back then but about Beatrice."

"That's why you sent Garrick." Red nodded. "He was supposed to bring her, too."

"Yes. But he was never supposed to hurt her," Porter said. "I mean, she is my flesh and blood, isn't she?" He smiled at Liz, but she shivered in disgust and got closer to Don.

Porter noticed it and laughed. "Your new lover was promoted by us, you know? When Michael Ferrent took over the business of his father, he asked me to assign his nephew to Reddington's case. Like me, Ferrent never believed that Reddington had the microchip and wanted him dead.

"Fitch was the head of The Alliance and was protecting you," he said to Red. "So I didn't tell him that I made Diane Fowler assign Agent Ressler to the case and paid Agent Jonica to make sure Ressler would kill you. Unfortunately, Agent Ressler didn't know anything about us, and he couldn't be trusted. He'd rather arrest us than playing along." He gave Don a cold grin.

Scornfully, Don smiled back. "I take it as a compliment. I'd rather die than being a member of your," he paused before he added snidely, "club."

"Now you are on Reddington's payroll. Do you really think this is any better?" When Don preferred not to answer, Porter went on, "However, Garrick couldn't help us with Beatrice. Later, Braxton propositioned us to work together. We wanted the microfilm, Braxton the Red Star."

"Well, we won't give you the microfilm," Liz said. She was filled with rage, but she tried to act careful and reasonable. "We will keep it for our own safety. I can assure you that there's more than one copy. Every key member of the task force has one, and it will be released if anything happen to any of us."

Before they met with Porter, they had agreed that they could only try to extort him for an agreement, a truce of sorts. But if Porter was her biological father, she could ask for more.

"We want everyone gone who is involved with The Alliance and has access to the task force. The task force needs to be independent. We want all members of The Alliance to resign from their posts. Otherwise, we will leak the Capitalist Manifesto to the press and ask them to investigate your activities. You know it would cause the biggest economic and political scandal this country has ever seen. And we want full immunity for our asset." She nodded to Red. "This should be the last thing Tom Connolly does before he resigns."

Everyone looked at her in surprise. _That's my girl_ , Red thought, feeling proud. _That's the essence of negotiation. Using the right moment to take the other side down._

* * *

 **Saturday**

"I can't believe that this awful man is my biological father." Liz was still upset the next morning, when she and Don were still lying in bed. "I would rather prefer this Angus Younes or Reddington. But Leland Porter is the worst slick I've ever met. Do you think this is somehow infectious?"

"Infectious? Do you mean that you'll become a slick yourself?" Don teased her.

"Yes, a dirty cop, a murderer, a bastard, a liar. If I only could get rid of his genes." She shook with disgust.

"I guess, the only effect is that you are sometimes a bitch," Don said with a smile. "And to be honest, I'm pretty sure he's wrong."

Liz looked at him in surprise. "Why?"

"I told you I ran a search with your DNA-profile through all kinds of databases, trying to find relatives of you, and didn't get a single hit. Well, Porter's DNA-profile _is_ in the database of the CIA. I know that for sure."

"So, he isn't my father?" Liz was relieved.

"I'll check it again, okay? But I don't think he is. You shouldn't tell him, though. The only reason he agreed to accept our demands, instead of starting a war, is because he thinks you're his daughter."

"Seems my mother was a bitch," Liz said with a sigh. "She made both Porter and Younes believe I was their daughter but, in fact, it was someone else who we, probably, won't be able to find. I hope it isn't this Salumbides who murdered Red's family and my mother. To be honest I'm worried about what will happen if Red finds Salumbides. And I'm pretty sure he will find him."


	26. Episode 22 - Salumbides

_This is partly the T. Earl King VI episode. I didn't like it, but I liked the idea of an underground auction. ;)_

* * *

 **August, 2015**

 **Monday**

Porter actually kept his word. All of a sudden, several people in high positions resigned, and Reven Wright found herself in the surprising position to take over the responsibility for the Reddington task force.

Before Tom Connolly resigned, he signed a deal granting Red full immunity as long as he was cooperating with the FBI.

* * *

"I might have an idea how we could draw Salumbides out of the shadows," Red said when they met at The Embassy. "There's an underground auction run by the Kings' family. Whatever you can't sell on the legal market, you can have auctioned there. We could offer the Red Star for sale. Obviously, Salumbides is so keen on it-no pun intended, my dear," he said to Liz and patted her back, "that he might take the bait."

"And then we arrest the whole lot," Don said.

"If you like to." Red smiled. "I've no business with them so I don't mind. You can arrest the buyers, the sellers, the Kings family, and you'll probably find objects of art missing for ages, missing persons, fake money, drugs, and many other things."

"And you won't kill Salumbides to take vengeance?" Don gave him a severe look.

"This time I'll listen to myself," Red replied. "I hope you have a very dirty, cold, uncomfortable black site where he can spend the rest of his miserable life."

* * *

 **Thursday & Friday**

The only way to place an object at the auction was to get an invitation. They created the character Josephine Miller who was allegedly operating for a Russian patriot. They made the Kings believe that he wanted to offer the Red Star for auction.

The meeting point was a hotel. Liz checked in as Josephine Miller, and told the concierge the code word. Unfortunately, Don and Meera lost her, when she was brought to a car in the garage.

Luckily, Red had a plan B. He asked an old friend of his, Madeline Pratt, to offer him for sale. The Kings took the bait, and brought him to the facility where the auction was going to take place.

For this mission they had re-implanted the GPS chip in Red's neck, so the task force was able to follow him to the "castle" in which the Kings held their auctions.

While Liz had all luxury in her suite at the castle, Red had to endure the procedure of getting dressed for the auction.

* * *

 **Saturday**

The day of the auction had arrived. Part of plan B was that Don was supposed to "buy" Red. Meera had a good laugh, when he dressed up as an arrogant underground king, wearing tight black leather pants, black boots, a black shirt, and a grey coat with a collar made of fur.

"And Red thinks you can only be a cop," she said. "You look pretty dangerous and incredibly hot."

It made him laugh. It was always funny when Meera simply said what she was thinking. And, of course, it was flattering.

"You should wear it for your wedding with Liz," Meera teased him. "I bet she would love it."

He felt found out. "I don't know what you are talking about. Why should I marry her?"

"Oh, come on," Meera said, "everyone on the task force knows that you two are a couple. It's obvious."

Don was embarrassed. It was against the rules, and he felt uncomfortable. "Does Cooper know it, too?"

"Sure." Meera nodded. "But I think he simply ignores it. There are worse things he has to worry about."

* * *

Red's auction took place before the Red Star would be auctioned. In the beginning, the biddings were low, but then, suddenly, Yaabari, the African warlord, started to bid higher and higher.

 _Where the hell is Donald?_ Red was in a cold sweat, and acting from necessity he started bidding on himself. "Come on, I got to be worth as much as that fake Xunade Ming vessel was. Seventeen!"

"Eighteen!" Yaabari shouted.

Red was desperate. _Who the hell knows what Yaabari is up to?_ "Twenty!"

The Kings weren't pleased and tried to stop the auction. "Ignore that bid!"

"That hardly seems fair," Red objected.

"Get him off the stage, now!"

"Does the gentleman maintain his previous bid at 18 million dollars?" the auctioneer asked, and Yaabari nodded.

"20 million," Red heard Don's voice, and he sighed in relief. He had seldom been so scared in his life. Of course, he would have been safe the moment the FBI was going to breach the building, but he could have been dead by then.

Yaabari was furious, but he couldn't bid higher. "This is your lucky day," he said when he passed Red by. "If I had won the bidding, I would have sold your head for 20 million dollars to a man in Johannesburg."

Red was shocked. He was worried about the fact that he didn't know anyone in Johannesburg who would pay 20 million dollars just to see him dead. Was this somehow connected to Angus Younes or Salumbides?

"We'll prepare him downstairs for you," a member of the staff offered Don, and wanted to lead Red out of the room.

"No, thank you," Don replied. "He's supposed to be a slave of lust. He doesn't need special clothes."

Red looked at him in surprise, then, he had to stifle his laughter. Donald played his role well, but knowing who he really was doubled the fun.

They went over to Liz, but without speaking to her or looking at her.

Finally, the Red Star was about to be auctioned. There were several bidders, and it took a while before Red was able to identify Salumbides.

"He has changed a lot," he whispered and nodded to a tall, bald man. "He must have changed his face, and he got old."

The moment Salumbides won the auction, the doors flung open, and the SWAT-team and several FBI agents under Meera's lead came in.

It was a big day for the FBI. They were able to solve dozen of cases of missing or abducted persons, cases of stolen goods, and they could arrest about a hundred criminals, some of them wanted for serious crimes for years.

* * *

"You look beautiful tonight," Don said to Liz on their way back to D.C. "I like what you did with your hair."

"Thanks." Liz smiled. Yes, she felt beautiful tonight. The dress she had bought for this mission (the Bureau had paid it) was awesome. "And you look incredibly hot in those leather pants. You should wear them more often. Just for me."

It made him laugh because she used the same words as Meera. "I'm afraid I'll have to wear them forever because they so tight that I have the feeling they have grown on me."

She put her hand on his thigh. "I could help you with that..." She gave him a melting gaze and got a little closer.

"Do you want me to stop the car?" He asked salaciously.

"Why not?"

Don couldn't remember he had ever been so lightheaded in his life, but it did him good. He took life too seriously, had always been strained. He had never been careless, or had done anything just for fun. While he was her bridge over troubled water, she was able to make him laugh and to forget about his duties for a little while.

* * *

 **Sunday**

"So, why did you do all this?" Liz began to interrogate Salumbides. She detested him even more than Braxton or Porter.

"Your mother stole the Red Star from me," Salumbides replied with a shrug. "Angus Younes was competition. I just tried to get back what belonged to me."

"And that's why you killed five people?" Don looked at him in disgust.

As if it was an excuse Salumbides said, "It just happened. It wasn't planned. I followed Helen. When I and my men came to the cabin, they were talking about something they wanted back. Helen was a clever thief. She stole a lot of things. Then, Angus said something about that the girl had it and looked at her. Later, when I saw you," he said to Liz, "I realized that he had spoken about you. Unfortunately, I had to leave, and it took me years to find you."

"I could have done without you," Liz replied in a cold tone.

"You killed that other girl and her mother, and slit them open to have a look if they had the diamond in their viscera?" Don asked in disbelief.

Salumbides shrugged. "Yes."

Don would even understand if Red wanted to slit Salumbides open. _What a horrible creature!_ "You also killed Angus and Helen Younes. Who was the fifth body we found in the cabin?"

"One of my men," Salumbides replied. "Angus Younes shot him."

"Later, you took over Younes's empire and hired several stooges to run your business for you. I guess, Samuel Aleko is one of them?"

Salumbides nodded. "He's running the diamond business, together with Ferrent LC."

* * *

They also arrested Aleko and Michael Ferrent, Don's uncle. Aleko smuggled the diamonds in the country, and Ferrent LC sold them to "special clients". As the diamonds were allegedly from South Africa and had clean certifications no one had ever noticed anything.

"Do you know that you only got assigned to that high-level case because I told them to?" Michael Ferrent asked when he passed Don by, in handcuffs and lead by an agent.

"Yes. I was told what you did for me," Don replied sarcastically. "But you know what? Maybe I wouldn't have been assigned to such a case with only twenty-seven, but you didn't make me a good agent. I did that myself."

"Oh yeah," Ferrent canted, "the poor boy, abandoned by a father who was just interested in his own career. We paid your education, you know?"

"I worked hard for it! You didn't buy me top marks."

"Too bad, your mother died so early," Ferrent said. "Did you know that I drove the car that night?"

Don went pale. He had always wondered why his mother, who had hated races, had crashed the car because of being over speed. He took a deep breath. "Well, now that you've told me, you gonna pay for this as well. You'll join Salumbides at a nice black site. I hope you two like each other."

* * *

 **A week later, Monday**

"Now, that we've solved all the mysteries, and I got full immunity, we could end all this," Red said when they met at The Embassy. "But there are still many names on the blacklist we could eliminate if you like." He looked at Liz.

"I would like to do what I was going to do on my first day," she said. "I would like to work in an office at headquarters. As a profiler. I might not be the best profiler this world has ever seen, but that's what I would like to do. To," she looked at Don, "have more time for the family. And to avoid discussions about relationships at the workplace."

"That would violate our arrangement," Red said, pretending he was displeased. But then, he smiled. "But I might agree speaking with Donald instead."

"That would be great." Liz felt relieved. "I would like to spend some time at home, you know?"

"I promised Sam to make you happy, Lizzie," Red said, "and I think you are happy with Donald and Alice, and a boring office job."

Liz agreed with a broad smile, "Yes, I am."

"Well, Donald," Red turned to the younger man, "let's have some fun, shall we?"

 _In moments like these Red sounds like an encouraging father_ , Don thought, amused. "You are both wrong that all mysteries have been solved. We haven't found out yet who Liz's biological father is."

Liz was glad it had turned out that Salumbides wasn't her father, either. "I guess, we'll never find out."

"Maybe I found a clue," Don said and took a file from a drawer of his desk. "Most of the things we found in Helen's deposit box were stolen. Except this one." He showed them a picture of a painting in which a teenage girl, maybe sixteen years old, was sitting at a window. "When you look closer, you'll notice that she bears a slight resemblance to Liz. I guess, it's Helen. Furthermore, you'll notice that the painting was cut. Among the things at the auction I found the second part of it."

The second half of the picture showed the rest of the room with a boy at the same age sitting on the floor, looking admiringly at the girl.

"The painting has no signature, but there is a label on the back side." On the back of Helen's picture was written, " _Blackwell Anton Rosengarten_ ", on the back of the second half was written, " _Postma Beek Basar_ ". "Now, when you put the back sides together you get this."

" _Blackwell and Postma, Anton Beek, Rosengarten Basar_ ," Liz read out loud.

"Seems that Helen's name was Blackwell before she married Angus Younes. And Postma could be your father," Don suggested, "a childhood sweetheart of your mom."

"Rosengarten Basar," Red laughed, "the strangest place I've ever been."

"Do you know what it is? Where it is?" Liz asked. Although she was unsure if she really wanted to know who her father was, it was exciting to learn more about her mother.

"It's a curiosity shop in Hamburg, Germany," Red replied. "Generations of sailors sold stuff they had brought from their trips all around the world to the shop.*) It's a collection of very strange things. I guess Anton Beek is the painter and sold the picture to the Rosengarten Basar. It's probably many years ago, but maybe you are lucky, and they are able to give you a clue about the painter or Postma." He put on a happy grin. "Seems we're going on a field trip. Shall we?"

* * *

 _*) This shop really exists. Due to possible copyright issues I changed the name and some circumstances. It's really the strangest place I've ever been, and I'm sure Red would know and like it. :D_

 _I said that there would be 22 "episodes", but while I was thinking about the contents in Helen's deposit box I had an idea for a sequel. So there are going to be two more "episodes"._


	27. Episode 23 - The Storekeeper

**Hamburg, Germany, End of August, 2015**

 **Tuesday**

It was a sunny day, when they were walking along the famous St. Pauli Hafenstraße in Hamburg. Then, Red lead them into one of the back roads and deeper into the quarter, until they reached the Rosengarten Basar.

It was a big store, and as Red had told them it was a curiosity shop with the strangest things they had ever seen. Masks made of wood from Africa next to indefinable animals in preserving jars, tableware, vases, weapons, jewellery, and lamps of the strangest kind, starfishes and mussels, preserved specimen, feathers of all kinds of exotic birds, and headdresses. Most of all, there was an amount of statues made from all kinds of material, in all sizes and from cultures all over the world.

It was really an amazing collection, and they wandered around for a while, being in awe, before Liz finally turned to the shop assistant and showed him the painting and its backside.

He seemed to recognize the painting at once. "Sind Sie Beatrice?" he asked.

Liz only understood her name and simply nodded.

"Nichts geht verloren im Rosengarten Basar," he said with a grin. He searched for something in one of the drawers and, finally, gave her an envelope.

She opened it, filled with excitement. In it she found a short letter, but it was written in a language she didn't know.

"Could be Afrikaans," Red said when she showed it to him. "Maybe Dembe is able to read it." He passed the letter on to him.

"Yes, it's Afrikaans," Dembe said, "I don't know every word, but it says that if you want to know more about the painting, Helen Blackwell and Rouven Postma, you have to talk to The Storekeeper. And there's an address where to find that guy. It's not far from here."

* * *

The Storekeeper turned out to be an old man who owned an antique bookshop only a few miles from the Rosengarten Basar.

Was the Rosengarten Basar stuffed with statues, this shop was stuffed with books. Boards reaching from the ceiling to the ground left only small corridors. In the centre of the big room were some show cases for especially valuable books, the counter, and a big sofa.

After they had explained to The Storekeeper who they were and what they were looking for, they sat down on the sofa.

"Helen was born in England," The Storekeeper told them. "Her father was a rich businessman, making millions of dollars with jewels. When Helen was about four years old, they moved to Antwerp, Belgium, the centre of the diamond production. Helen had everything, but she was never satisfied with what she had, and she began to steal things her father couldn't afford.

"Then, she met Rouven Postma, a boy from the ghettos of Amsterdam, poor and futureless. Helen fell in love with him, but her father didn't like Rouven. He thought he wasn't the right boyfriend for her. Anton Beek, who painted the picture, was the only one who understood their needs.

"They met secretly, and Helen tried to help Rouven get a job, she gave him money and many other things, but he seemed to fail in everything. Finally, she married Angus Younes, one of the most powerful men in the diamond business."

"Is it possible that Rouven is my biological father?" Liz asked. The tragic love story warmed her heart, although she was unsure if she wanted a father who was a complete failure.

The Storekeeper nodded. "Yes, it's possible. When Helen disappeared from the face of the Earth, Rouven was heart-broken. He seemed to realize what she had done for him. He went to South Africa and became a rich, powerful man. Don't ask me how he did it." He shrugged.

"Do you know where we can find him?"

The Storekeeper got up, went to his counter, and searched for something in one of the drawers. Finally, he gave Liz a piece of paper with an address in Johannesburg.

* * *

"It's pretty smooth, isn't it?" Don asked when they had dinner at their hotel. "We found the painting in Helen's deposit box, and the other half at the auction where we offered the Red Star for sale. We are lead here, the shop assistant, who was a boy when all the events took place back then, knows exactly what's going. The letter is still there, 25 years later. The Storekeeper is still there, telling us a heart-breaking story, and gives us an address in Johannesburg where a man lives who offered 20 million dollars for Red's head."

"Oh, come on," Liz objected, "it could be true." She wanted it to be true, although she had to admit that the whole story was a hell of a coincidence.

"This is a trap," Don was sure. "Someone who knows that Helen had that painting placed the second half at the auction with the hope we might find it."

"Probably an associate of Salumbides," Red agreed, sipping his wine. "The story as such might be true, but I don't think Rouven Postma wants us to come to Johannesburg because he wants to see his daughter."

"Do you really think he would kill me?" Liz asked.

"Probably not you, but Red," Don remarked. "We should go there without you," he said to Red, "he just wants us to turn up with you."

"I think we should give him what he wants," Red disagreed, "and then turn the table. We should see this through. This has to end," he said resolutely.

* * *

 _Beta readers: Umber (from AWWC) and theblacklister23. Many thanks to them. :)_


	28. Episode 24 - Rouven Postma Pt1

**Johannesburg, South Africa, September, 2015**

 **Tuesday to Friday**

In Johannesburg, it was astonishingly easy to get information about Postma. Too easy. Everyone they got in touch with was overwhelming friendly and helpful. The impression of being right in the middle of an evil trap was growing with every hour. Even Liz, who still had some hopes to discover something interesting about her past, had to admit that something was wrong.

They were told that Postma was in the diamond business and lived at a ranch outside the city. Dembe and Samar, who went there and had a look at it, said that it was tightly watched by surveillance cameras and armed guards. It didn't seem a good idea to pay Postma a visit.

Finally, Red was able to contact one of his own associates, Geert Muller. He gave them an invitation for a charity gala.

"Arthur Preston is in touch with almost everyone in the diamond business," Muller told them, "Postma will be at the gala, and you can have a look at him, but you don't need actually to talk to him."

It seemed an easy way to approach Postma, although they were suspicious about the fact that the gala didn't take place in one of the known areas near the city centre but in a small town outside, near Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden.

"It's a rich area," Muller told them. "The city is changing. Many companies moved to Sandton due to a great deal of crime in the city centre. Quarters like Parktown are still luxurious and safe, but the real rich people don't live in the city anymore. They live in the outskirts, in real big houses."

* * *

 **Saturday**

"Shouldn't we organize a backup just in case this is the trap?" Don asked nervously when they get ready for the gala.

Again, Red had checked in a five-star-luxury hotel, and they were sharing a suite with four bedrooms and a living room. The three men were dressed in tuxedos, Liz and Samar were wearing evening gowns.

"Muller wouldn't send me in a trap," Red assured him, "he is trustworthy."

They set out for the town in the north west of the city, and found that Muller was right. Some properties out there were as big as little villages, all surrounded by walls and fences. Lush gardens with trees and bushes of all kinds hid luxurious villas. Some properties were, in fact, little villages, with the main building in the middle and several smaller ones surrounding it-garages, swimming pools, houses for the servants.

Finally, they arrived at Preston's house which looked like a palace. It was a two-storey building with towers, balconies, and roof terraces. A water ditch with daedal bridges surrounded the house.

The number of rooms were confusing, and they all had shimmering white walls, white floors, and white ceilings. Their host, a man in his early 60s, with white hair, dark blue eyes, and a friendly face, explained to them that there was special heating inside the walls. "It regulates the temperature to steady 16°, no matter how cold or hot it is outside."

The number of guests was surprisingly little, and while Preston was showing them around, it seemed they would meet the same people over and over again. Finally, he left them at the buffets.

"I don't like this," Don said softly, "a charity gala with ten people and ten servants?"

"Maybe we are too early," Liz suggested, "some parties don't start before midnight. Or the guests are so rich that they don't need many people."

He gave her a sceptical look. "You don't believe that, do you?"

Then, Preston came back to them. "Postma has arrived," he said, "he has a look at the new collection. Maybe you want to join him?"

They followed him to a room at the ground floor. Obviously, it was in the centre of the house.

The moment they entered the room they were attacked by a group of men. After a short struggle they were overpowered. Dembe and Samar were brought to the room next door, while Red, Don and Liz found themselves in custody of four armed guards in a room without windows. There was nothing in it except three chairs and a small table.

Preston put on a mean grin. "You were so careful not to run into a trap, and now Muller sold you out."

 _Muller is a dead man_ , Red thought grimly. No one dared to betray him. " _You_ are Postma."

"Exactly." Preston took a bow, a gesture full of irony. "I'd been telling Salumbides for years that it was a mistake to let you live. He should have killed you that night. And the girl," he looked at Liz.

"I guess, you are not my father," she said. All of a sudden, she didn't like the story about Helen, Rouven, and the painting anymore. It had seemed so romantic but, in fact, it was like all the other stories before-cruel and dark.

"It's possible." Postma shrugged. "But I don't care. The point is that you are Helen's daughter. She betrayed me, cheated on me. I wasn't good enough for her. We stole the Red Star together, but then she wanted it for herself. I was the one who told Salumbides where to find it, and I told him to kill her-and her daughter." His look was chilling.

"He killed the wrong girl, and when he noticed his mistake, it was too late. But he was sure that both of you burned to death. Then, you turned up as the Concierge of Crime," he said to Red. "The question was if you," he turned back to Liz, "survived as well. Salumbides wanted the Red Star back, so he moved very carefully. It took him years to find you. But, to be honest, I just want you dead."

A cold shiver ran down Liz's spine. It was an escalation of the evil. Each guy, who had been involved and thought he might be her biological father, was worse than the one before. She wished the Immaculate Conception was possible and, in the end, no one was her father.

"Well, we won't allow you to kill her." Don placed himself in front of Liz, shielding her with his body. He felt, however, that this was going to end badly. For all of them. The fear seemed to choke him, but he stood upright.

Postma laughed scornfully. "What are you? Her boyfriend? You have my sympathies. I bet, she is like her mother and has three or four guys at the same time. But, well, I'll give you a chance to save her."

At his command the four guards tied Red, Don and Liz to the chairs. Then, Postma placed a gun in Don's right hand and tied the gun and hand in a way that the gun pointed to Red and that Don couldn't move his hand in any other direction. The only thing he could do was pull the trigger.

"You have five minutes to shoot Reddington," Postma told him. "If you do it, I'll let you and Beatrice go, your companions next door as well. If you don't do it, I'll shoot her." He took a big stopwatch from the small table and set five minutes, then he placed himself next to Liz and pointed a gun to her head.

For a moment everyone just stared at him, stunned. It was an unbelievable scenario but, obviously, Postma was absolutely serious about it.

"Do it, Donald," Red said. He didn't want to die, and he was scared to death, but he was older than Liz, Dembe and Samar, and he was a villain. "It's okay. Do it."

For Don it was like a déjà vu. He was back at Waterloo Station in Brussels, eying Red, pointing the gun to his head. Back then, it had felt like cold-blooded murder. Now, it felt as if he was going to shoot his own father. Of course, he didn't want Liz to die, either. However, it was an impossible decision. Besides, he had the distinct feeling that Postma wouldn't keep his word, but would kill him and Liz later.

He looked at Red and saw the fear in the older man's eyes. Red was willing to sacrifice himself for Liz and his people, but he wasn't willing to die.

"Do it, Donald," Red repeated. Fearfully, he closed his eyes, waiting for the shot.

Don felt cold sweat on his forehead, and his heart was pumping so hard that there was a loud beating in his ears. _No, I can't do that!_ He pressed his hand down with all might and main, until the gun slid off. Then, he pulled the trigger.

The bullet hit Postma's right forearm. With a scream he dropped his own gun which went off when it hit the ground. The bullet hit one of the white shimmering walls which exploded in a sudden burst. Obviously, the heat was running with gas because flames shot out of it immediately. Within a split second the whole wall was burning.

When the first shot went off, Red had thought it was over. And for a quick moment he thought he had died and went right to hell when he felt the heat of the fire next to him.

Postma's guards left the room in a hurry, leaving the door open, while Don tried to reach the small table. Next to the stop watch was a knife. Red tried the same from the other side. Postma had his own knife, took it out now, cut the ropes Liz was tied with, except her hands, and dragged her out of the room.

Don reached the knife, but it took a while before he was able to cut through the first rope. Meanwhile, the fire got worse, flashed over to the other walls and other parts of the building.

Finally, Don was able to free himself, then he untied Red. They hurried out of the room, but when they entered the corridor, they had to realize that the fire had spread everywhere. They couldn't see clearly due to the smoke that was burning in their lungs and made them cough.

A part of the ceiling fell down at the end of the corridor, and Red cringed. _This_ was his déjà vu. Finally, he had pieced the puzzle together, just to find himself in the same situation, 25 years later.

Don noticed that Red was hesitating. "You can do it," he encouraged him, and gave him a knife and a gun, putting the second gun in his own belt. "I'll try to find Liz, you go and save Dembe and Samar. You did it once, you can do it again." Then, he hurried down the corridor, worried about Liz.

* * *

"I'm not Helen," Liz tried to save her life, while Postma dragged her down the corridor, through a living room, and through the entrance hall out of the house. "I haven't done anything to you. I can't even remember my mother. I don't know what she did. And if you are really my biological father-how can you kill your own flesh and blood?"

"It's enough that you look like her," he replied and dragged her further on.

"That's not my fault," she retorted with growing fear. "I didn't ask her to give birth to me. You can't call me to account for something my mother did 28 years ago!"

But Postma didn't listen to her, instead, he pushed her into the water ditch. Since Braxton had tortured her by using so-called waterboarding, Liz was afraid of drowning, and lashed about in panic, while he pulled her under water over and over again. She swallowed more and more water, coughing, trying desperately to breathe but, finally, she passed out.

* * *

Red overcame his fear and stumbled forward to the room next door. It was locked, and it took him a while to open it by using the knife as a screwdriver. In the meantime, the fire got worse and worse. His despair and his fear was increasing with every second.

Finally, he was able to open the door to free Dembe and Samar. When they hurried down the corridor, pieces of the ceiling were falling and hitting them. They were buried by the debris.

* * *

When Don made it to the entrance hall, he suggested that Postma might have left the house. It was the shortest way, and who would stay in a burning house? He hurried out of the house, and heard water splashing around.

When he got closer, he saw Postma, standing to the chest in the water ditch. Obviously, he was about to drown Liz. Of course, Don knew about Liz's fear of drowning, and he hurried down to the water ditch.

"Don't! Let her go!" But Postma didn't react, instead, he pushed Liz more violently under water. "Let her go, or I'll shoot you!" Getting closer, Don took the gun from his belt. When Postma didn't stop, he pulled the trigger, this time without any regret.

He didn't care about Postma whose body went under water, then came up again and drifted in the ditch. Don dragged Liz out of the water and lay her down on the grass next to the ditch. Appalled, he noticed that she wasn't breathing.

"No!" he exclaimed in despair and started a CPR. "Don't do this to me! You can't die!"

* * *

 _Beta readers: Umber (from AWWC) and theblacklister23. Many thanks to them. :)_


	29. Episode 24 - Rouven Postma Pt2

Don went on with the CPR, desperate, because it didn't seem show any effect. Finally-to him it seemed like hours-Liz woke up with a gasp. She sat up, coughing, breathing heavily, finally, throwing water up.

"Thank God, I thought you were gone." Don held her head, then embraced her and pulled her close to him, overjoyed that she was alive and safe.

Liz held on to him, until she was able to breathe normally. Her lungs were still burning, every inch of her body hurt, and her heart was still beating fast. "Where's Postma?"

Don had a quick glance at the lifeless body in the water ditch. "Dead, I think."

"You know, I thought of having a child with you," she said with a hysterical laugh, "but I don't think I should pass on my strange genes. He's a monster!"

"Well, you are his daughter - if you are his daughter - and you aren't a monster," he said, trying to console her. "But you should ask Alice if she wants a brother or a sister."

"You wouldn't mind?" Liz looked at him in surprise, noticing how upset he was.

"I haven't thought about it," Don replied, "but I would think about it, if Alice doesn't mind. But now we should look after Red, Dembe and Samar. I hope, he was able to save them."

They looked at the burning house. The flames flashed out of it, and the night sky was full of smoke and ashes. Whoever was still in the house, probably had no chance of surviving.

* * *

 **Washington D.C., next week, Wednesday**

When Red recovered consciousness, he heard Dembe and Samar talking. Did he really save them, or was it just his imagination? He tried to remember what had happened. His worst nightmare, the night of the fire 25 years ago, had recurred. And yes, he had overcome his fear, but on their way out of the burning hell they had been buried by debris.

Something must have hit his head because it still hurt. He kept his eyes closed, listening to Dembe and Samar talking about a shipment that had to be organized.

He was lying on something soft. Probably a bed in one of their safe houses. The air was clean, not like in a hospital. He heard Mr. Kaplan's voice from far away, and Dembe and Samar left the room.

Again, he had survived his worst nightmare and, again, he wasn't sure if he wanted it. The first four years after the night of the fire was a faint memory. He had spent them on a lonely island, suffering, grieving, filled with rage. Today, he knew it had been wrong to go underground afterwards and become a villain. Back then, it had seemed the only possible way out of his misery.

 _Was Donald able to save Lizzie? Could he even save himself?_ Oddly enough, Red was more worried about Donald than about Liz. Of course, he didn't want anything happen to Liz, but although he had been informed about her life and everything she had done in the past 25 years he felt closer to Donald.

He drifted away, and when he woke up again, he had the distinct feeling that someone was sitting next to him, watching him. He opened his eyes. He was in a hotel room or in one of their better safe houses, and his visitor was the person who he had thought of before he went asleep.

"Is Lizzie safe?" Red asked softly.

"Yes, I was able to stop Postma from drowning her in the water ditch," Don replied, feeling relieved that Red was awake and, obviously, aware of what had happened. "You were hit by a piece of the ceiling. Dembe and Samar dragged you out of the house, and after a short stop at a hospital we decided to bring you back to D.C."

Red still felt so weak and tired that he didn't enjoy hearing this news. "Why didn't you shoot me?"

"Postma wouldn't have kept his word." Don hesitated, but brought himself to go on, "And it was like Brussels. I couldn't do it," he said with a helpless shrug. "I can't help it, but I do like you." Again, he hesitated. Finally, he said, "You are like the father I never had."

It brought tears to Red's eyes. He felt deeply ashamed that Donald cared about him. "Don't say that. I don't deserve it." However, he also felt deeply moved, and he took the younger man's hand. "I love you like a father would love his son," he said softly.

"We're all your children somehow, aren't we?" Don smiled at him. "Dembe, Samar, Liz, me."

"At least, I'm old enough to be the father of all of you," Red replied ironically.

"I guess, you say that because you feel old today," Don teased him. "You wanna feel like a grandfather? Alice would like to see you."

"Is she here?" Red tried to sit up, but his head still hurt, and he felt dizzy.

"Easy." Don took a thick cushion and put it in Red's back so he could lean against it. "They are all here. In the living room next door. But we can come back another day if you feel too tired."

"I'm tired," Red admitted, "but I would love to be a grandfather."

Don got up and left the bedroom of the hotel suite. A little later, Alice came in, holding Liz's hand. They both smiled at him, and Red felt a lot better.

"You really need your own house," Alice said and gave him a severe look.

"Yeah, maybe it's really time for my own house," he replied although he knew that it was impossible. He only had immunity for as long as he was working with the FBI. The moment he stopped doing that he would be on the run again. Of course, he could make himself disappear and spend the rest of his life at a lonely place. But it would be a life without Liz, Donald, and Alice.

"We made you a cake," Alice said and sat down on the edge of the bed. She smiled proudly, when Liz took the little chocolate cake from the basket she was carrying.

"It's not a masterpiece," Liz admitted, "we're both at a learning stage."

"She can't cook at all," Alice revealed, whispering, and giggled.

"I heard that," Liz admonished her, but she said it with a laugh, and Alice didn't take her seriously.

Red received the cake with a smile, and wished Sam had been able to see Lizzie right now. Although she had been through a lot of bad things lately, she was happy with her new life.

No, he couldn't leave them. He felt he didn't deserve their care, but he knew he wouldn't be able to overcome the temptation to stay with them for as long as he could.

THE END

* * *

 _Beta reader: Umber (from AWWC). Many thanks to her. :) And thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing. :)_


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